


Zagreus and the Other Princes of Hell

by toastkat



Category: Devil May Cry, Hades (Video Game 2018)
Genre: Angst, Blood and Gore, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Monsterfucking, Sibling Incest, Spoilers, multipurpose nectar, you may have bottom!Than... once
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-17
Updated: 2021-02-06
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:07:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 53
Words: 112,413
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27070975
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/toastkat/pseuds/toastkat
Summary: A dumb fic in which very Dumb™ things happen.New arrivals to the House of Hades means new questions to be answered, new mysteries to  be solved, and new forces grappling for power... and for Prince Zagreus's heart...
Relationships: Dante/Vergil (Devil May Cry), Nero (Devil May Cry)/Zagreus (Hades Video Game), Nero (Devil May Cry)/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)/ Thanatos (Hades Video Game), Thanatos/Zagreus (Hades Video Game)
Comments: 299
Kudos: 217





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, let me say that I am so sorry, and I have 0 excuses for my poor professionalism as a writer. I am a horrible cretin with too many ideas and not enough time to flush them all out, so my poor audience must suffer a dozen fanfics with no closure.
> 
> Secondly, I have no idea what the plot of this is or is going to be. I'm only tagging it as explicit and with pairings, but I make no promise that either of these things will happen. Dear reader, please know that I will be just as surprised as you are by what comes out of this.

Hypnos was dreaming of pink rose petals snowing on the courtyard garden when he was startled awake by splashing in the river Styx. The sound announced a new shade arriving for processing, or even Prince Zagreus himself. As squishy footsteps approached him, he checked his list to prepare for a quip about the prince’s embarrassing return, but scour as he might, he couldn’t find the name he was looking for.

The two strangers looked  _ terrible _ , even by Hell’s standards. Their clothes were tatters; burned in some places and torn in others. They were twins, and Hypnos could tell at a glance which one was the older and which was the younger. The pantheon was full enough of twins that his experience was vast. The older slicked his hair back, flicking the last drops of Styx away. He had an air of regality about him, so much so that Hypnos briefly wondered if letting him by would be a bad idea. This stranger seemed like the type who would quickly attempt to unseat Lord Hades. As his grey-blue eyes looked around, the older twin looked  _ bored _ of his surroundings already.

His brother, however, looked completely  _enamored_. Those jade-blue eyes couldn’t get any bigger as he took in his surroundings. He was the pauper to his brother’s prince, with his hair shaggy and unkempt and his face roughened with silver stubble. His clothes seemed worse of the two, as if he’d been living in the same outfit for months even  _ before _ he came in through Styx. His excited smacking of his brother’s arm devolved to full on grabbing and shaking, his grin going from ear to ear.

As they continued on down the hall, Hypnos had to dart ahead before they could get further.

“H-Hey! Wait a second! You can’t go by just yet! I have to check you off on the list first!”

He adjusted his sleep mask and looked back to his clipboard. There were so many mortals dying that it was hard to keep track of them, even as the names appeared in flashes of golden light on the paper. 

“I’m sorry, but I didn’t quite catch your names,” Hypnos stumbled as he looked up at them. “Lots of new arrivals coming in nowadays, haha. Now! Let’s see umm…” He flipped through the papers again. “Who are you again?”

The older twin gave Hypnos a dark look and started for the sword at his hip, but was stopped by an arm across his chest from his younger brother.

“Dante,” the younger answered quickly. “Dante Sparda. And Vergil Sparda.”

“Sparda, Sparda…” As he skimmed the list again, another name appeared and another splashing could be heard. Sizzling wet footsteps plodded by, hardly stopping as Hypnos looked up to greet him. “Welcome back, Prince Zag! How was the surface? Meg’s looking for you! Something about whipping you properly since you got by her again?”

“Tell her she’ll have to wait until I get to her chamber,” Zagreus grumbled as he walked by. “I’m in no mood to tell her myself, unless Father’s willing to let me desecrate his precious house further.”

The twins looked between each other before their attention snapped back to the prince’s retreating back. It was Dante that spoke for them, “How come  _ he _ gets to go through?”

Hypnos blinked at them. “Don’t… don’t you  _ know _ who that is?”

They looked at one another again, then shook their heads.

“In the name of Hades… What sort of things are these Greeks  _ teaching _ their warriors these days?!”

The snow white eyebrows of the younger twin furrowed deeply. “Wait a minute…  _ Greek _ ?” Dante gestured between himself and Vergil, half-grinning like there’d been some big mistake. “We’re not Greek. At least…” He looked back at Vergil. “Was mother Greek?”

“Italian,” Vergil corrected, his tone unamused by the proceedings.

“I mean… same diff right?”

“Excuse me?”

“Rome’s in Italy. Greek ‘n’ Roman are the same, right?”

Vergil chuffed, a small smile playing on the corner of his lips. Hypnos did  _ not  _ like that smile. It was like seeing Meg smile, or worse. Thanatos. He shivered. “Dear brother, if you truly believe Green and Roman to be the same, then by all means, stride right up to the gentleman at the desk and tell him that yourself.”

Dante looked past Hypnos at the mountainous man down the hall and the mammoth desk in front of him. He gave a subtle shake of his head.

“That’s what I thought.” His steel eyes settled on Hypnos once more, dropping the temperature of the room by ten degrees with a single glance. “We aren’t going to  _ be _ on your list because we aren’t dead.”

“Dead?” Dante repeated.

“You  _ aren’t _ ?” Hypnos questioned.

Vergil pinched the bridge of his nose. “Hell is other people,” he mumbled to himself before raising his voice to address both of them. “Dante, take one more look around and tell me where we are.”

This younger brother did as told, much to Hypnos’s surprise. Dante shrugged. “If that’s the river Styx, and that’s Hades over there -”

“Excuse me,  _ Lord _ Hades.”

Dante gave him a look. “And that’s  _ Hades _ over there, then we’re in Tartarus.”

The older twin quirked an eyebrow at his brother. “Glad to see your detective skills are still sharp. And tell me,  _ who _ comes to Tartarus?”

“Demi-gods looking to escape the glitz and glam of Olympus?” He held his hands up in defense as Vergil reached for  _ Yamato _ once more. “Dead people! Dead people go to Tartarus.”

“Dead  _ mortals _ go to Tartarus. And what are  _ we _ ?”

“Complicated?”

Vergil couldn’t fault him for that one. His gaze shifted to Hypnos, and for a brief moment Sleep Incarnate thought he could see a glimmer of pity in those eyes. Who that pity was for, Hypnos couldn’t be certain.

“We’re from the Surface, but we’ve entered a portion of Hell willingly,” Vergil explained. “Once our…  _ situation _ was taken care of, we opted to explore the endless plane in search of a way to go back up.”

“I can almost imagine where this is going…” Hypnos muttered.

“We found a ferryman and paid him…”

“Charon.”

“Karen?”

Now it was Hypnos’s turn to look and feel exhausted by their misunderstanding. He rubbed his eyes with his fingers. 

“He brought us here.”

“Not really  _ here _ here,” Dante corrected. “He sort of… pushed us off his barge a ways into our journey.”

“And then we swam here.”

“You  _ swam _ in the river Styx?”

“Well, we didn’t want to  _ drown _ in it!”

Hypnos buried his face in his hands to suppress a shout of frustration. He heard splashing again, a muttered grumble, and the sizzling of flaming feet on damp stone. 

“Zag…”

The blood-soaked prince stopped at the casual name wearily mumbled from his half-brother. 

“Listen… I know you’re doin’ your own thing and all… Trying to get back to the Surface and do… whatever it is… but could you…” Hypnos sighed, slumping like a man defeated. “Could you  _ please _ deal with these two?”

“What’s the trouble?”

“They’re not on the list!”

Prince Zagreus, son of Hades and former upper administrator of Hell, looked at the two newcomers as if seeing them for the first time. His mismatched eyes glanced from them to over his shoulder, where their distant fate awaited. He weighed his options and none of them were good.

"Father won’t be very pleased to learn we have uninvited guests. Especially since I’ve been too busy destroying his realm to tidy my chambers.” He tilted his head at Hypnos, smiling a little. “Don't suppose I could convince you to do another spell. Try to sneak them in without Father's notice."

"I dunno… I got in a lot of trouble for helping you last time…"

The prince produced a glass bottle of golden liquid. Hypnos' gaze followed the bottle as Zag juggled it in his hands.

"Oh dear, you won't help me then? I mean, I'm sure there's absolutely  _ nothing _ that will convince you to change your mind."

"Well… I mean… I guess it wouldn't hurt…"

Zag grinned and tossed Hypnos the bottle. 

"One night of peace and quiet, coming up!"

"Wait," Dante interrupted them. "You're going to put the entire realm of Hell to sleep just to get us in?"

Hypnos blinked at him. "Yeah."

"Why not just distract the big guy so we can slip in and  _ not _ interrupt the flow of time?"

Zag looked between Dante and Hypnos, then back to Dante. "That's… a better plan. Let's do that instead."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am up to chapter 5 in my document, and I still haven't found a plot. But I did find smut, so y'all have that to look forward to!...
> 
> eventually

As the sleepy one floated off to distract the mighty king at his desk, Dante stayed close to Vergil’s side. His brother stood  _ Yamato _ on its end-cap, his hands resting on the pommel as he observed their laureled companion. Zagreus had taken Hypnos’ place against the wall, his gaze burning through the flame of the pyre at Lord Hades. Waiting. Dante turned his back to them, his eyes on the pool that had brought them to the unfamiliar chambers in the first place. 

“So we’re still in Hell, huh?” Dante asked quietly.

“It would seem,” replied his brother, his own voice a secretive whisper.

“What happened? Last thing I remember was fighting. Fighting you, and then a ton of demons. Then… Waking up floating in the pool.”

Vergil nodded, the gesture so small that Dante almost missed it.

“Are we dead?”

“It is difficult to say without further evidence. In all of my reading…” Vergil shook his head, his eyes lowering to the decorative mosaic stone floor. “Mortals do not enter the Underworld through such glamorous means. Common souls don’t even get to meet the king of the Underworld himself, and are often judged and punished by lesser beings. But so much seems…  _ different _ . And being different ourselves, we… We are in the realm of gods… Gods of men who died long ago and were left forgotten. It’s impossible to know what happened to get us here without revealing that we’re not supposed to be here in the first place.” 

“Then how do we get out?”

The older twin sighed heavily. “I’m working on that. My power feels… strange here. Bound.”

“Yeah, me too. Been tryin’ to trigger, but feels like…” Dante shook his head. “Feels like I got chains inside me, keepin’ the big guy from coming out.”

“Until we discover the truth as to why we’re here and how we are to escape…” Vergil lifted his chin, noticing movement in his peripheral. Zagreus stood from his seat and waited for a gesture from Hypnos before waving Dante and Vergil to follow him. Vergil grasped his brother’s arm to keep Dante from going ahead without finishing his thoughts first. “Consume nothing. Take no drink offered, eat no food given, accept no gifts or favors.”

“Yeah, yeah, and don’t pick up the beacon,” Dante replied, rolling his eyes as he shrugged out of his brother’s grasp. “I  _ know _ the myth.”

“Which version?”

Dante blinked as Vergil stepped ahead of him to follow Zagreus. “Wait, there’s different versions?”

The great hall opened into a massive throne room, large enough to house a Cerberus and the giant desk in front of an illuminated stained glass mural. Dante was both confused and excited to see that he hadn’t killed off the species of three-headed dog just yet, but before he could ask if he could give it petpets, he bumped into Vergil’s back, who then bumped into Zagreus. 

Without warning Zagreus zipped between two pillars and into a hallway outside of the desk’s view. He moved so quickly that even the twins had to look between each other. Dante was admittedly impressed, and he grinned at the idea of impressing the youth right back. Vergil must have shared his thoughts, because the older twin smirked a little. He flashed out of sight in an instant and reappeared behind Zagreus. The laureled man startled at Vergil’s apparition, but grinned as it dawned on him that his guests were not mere mortals. He turned his grin to Dante to see what the younger twin could do, and was not disappointed. The red spell circle formed under Dante as he crouched, then suddenly sprang high into the air, over the walls and pillars. Another circle formed at his feet, and he sprang again, diving for the hallway behind Vergil and Zagreus. A third spell circle met him, catching Dante and softening the blow against the wall as he bounced a third time. He rolled on the floor to slow his momentum, coming to a stop kneeling. Dante opened his arms and grinned, wishing he could still summon roses just to have one between his teeth. His performance earned a polite golf-clap from Zagreus. However, Vergil was less impressed and gave his brother a tap on the head with  _ Yamato _ ’s hilt.

“ _ Baka _ ,” Vergil hissed. 

“Impressive,” Zagreus admitted with a smirk. “It’s not every soul that can get by Lord Hades without notice. Though depending on our next course of action, we’ll have to cross his throne room again. We may not be so lucky twice.”

“Questions and answers first,” Vergil reminded him. “We have a great deal to talk about.”

“Of course. This way.”

Vergil gave him a small nod, following Zagreus down the hall. Dante, however, was easily and quickly distracted by a blond in muscles and armor, spear at his side. The two eyed one another as one eyes a possible sparring partner of both kinds, and a small smile bloomed on the stranger’s face. 

“Well  _ now _ I  _ have _ to come say hello,” Dante purred. He pressed a hand to the wall and leaned into the man who was, disappointingly, the same height as Dante. It was difficult to  _ lean _ on someone when they would end up being taller than you in the process. “What’s a good lookin’ man like you doin’ in a place like this?”

“My duties,” replied the stranger in the same low tone. His voice was like warm honey that dripped teasingly down Dante’s spine, causing bursts of good warmth to tingle through his system. “Which is more than you can say you’re doing, Son of Sparda.”

Dante grinned. “So you’ve heard of me.” 

“There are few who wield a sword or spear that hasn’t learned your name at some point in their lessons.”

“And what about you? Is yours a name told to young warriors to give them aspirations of glory?”

“Achilles!” 

Both stood up a little straighter as their gazes turned to Zagreus. Dante flinched at the aura of death that came from behind their host as Vergil glared at him. The younger twin backed away from his leaning, knowing full well that the moment they left the hallowed grounds of the House of Hades, he was doomed.

The laureled man didn’t seem to notice. “Forgive my friend bothering you, sir. They’re um… They’re new to the area and haven’t been introduced around yet.”

“It’s quite alright, lad. I don’t often get to converse with a fellow warrior, let alone a strange guest of the household.”

“I’m sure they could learn a thing or two from you, sir.”

“Kind as your words are, I doubt it. Sparda was a scrupulous teacher. My only regret was that I did not travel to learn from the master myself.”

“Wait,” Dante had a sudden Thought™. “Did he say Achilles? As in  _ the _ Achilles? Fought in the Trojan War and battled the river god Scamander?”

The blond warrior’s smile and gaze fell. He leaned against the wall behind him, as if the world above had suddenly become too heavy for his shoulders. “Not my finest hour, but yes… I am of whom you speak.”

“Wow… It’s a real hon-  _ ow! _ ”

Vergil had smacked Dante on the back of his head with the hilt of  _ Yamato  _ once more. “ _ Idiot _ ,” he hissed. “Were you not paying attention to Father’s lessons as to  _ why _ those battles you glorify occurred?”

Dante rubbed the spot he’d been hit. “Well… no…”

Achilles’ smile returned, shaking his head. “Truth be told, I’m surprised that you understand. Not many do.”

The older twin looked away shyly, trying to hide his faint blush from sight. “Only because I have been in a similar situation.”

“Wait, what situation?” Dante asked, looking between them as if they were in on a secret joke without him. “Why did you fight in the war?”

“Perhaps I will tell you some day,” Achilles replied, his lips toying with a grin as he tilted his head at Dante. 

“I’d love to hear mo-  _ ow! _ ”

“We have places to  _ be _ , brother,” Vergil grumbled, dragging Dante away by the scruff of his coat. 

Zagreus grinned and gave Achilles a wave. He followed after the twins, dashing ahead of them to get to the door at the end of the hall first. It was only after he had it opened that Vergil finally let go of his twin so that Dante could at least see where he was going. 

“Gentlemen, welcome to the Administrative Chamber. Do mind the mess. Dusa does her best around the house, but I refuse to let her lift a paper as far as my father’s work or my desk is concerned.” 

Ahead of them lay a field of desks, all of which were manned either by a transparent ghost or a pair of spectral hands. The desks were loaded with papers and scrolls, and Dante could only assume the ink bottles were enchanted to never run low and the quills to never need sharpening. Only one desk was clear of any paperwork or personnel, and it was to this desk Zagreus led them. He looked around, as if suddenly realizing there was nowhere for him or the twins to sit. 

“Wait… just a moment.”

Dante and Vergil did just that, watching with mixed amusement and curiosity as their host zipped around the room in search of something,  _ anything _ that could be used as suitable replacements for chairs. 

The elder twin leaned a little to the side, near enough that he could rest his head on Dante’s shoulder if he desired. Dante could feel the warmth of his brother’s cheek near his arm, even through his coat, but Vergil didn’t close that infinite inch between them.

“Our host seems… unprepared for the idea of taking on our ‘case’…” 

“Don’t blame him. You know how long it took me to actually  _ learn _ how to run a business?” Dante chuffed. “Couldn’t’uh been much older than him.”

Vergil shook his head subtly. “He’s older than you realize. You had a handful of years to learn proper administrative conduct. He’s had… centuries? Millennia to learn? And yet he can’t even provide a…”

Zagreus returned with his arms loaded down with books. Vergil opened his mouth and reached out to protest, but it was too late. The youth dropped them unceremoniously onto the floor and stacked them into four tidy columns, sliding two and two together to make two stools. Grinning, he left to gather more books from the shelf behind him.

“I’m going to kill him…”

“Vergil…”

“How  _ dare _ he even consider that  _ books _ are approp- “

“ _ Verge! _ ”

Dante cupped his brother’s face in both hands. “Relax. Look at the spines. These aren’t classics he’s asking us to sit on. They’re  _ ledgers _ .” 

Vergil’s gaze followed his brother’s instructions, confirming that the spines were engraved with gold lettering various titles of complaints by department, costs of repairs by region, and other such official-sounding bookkeeping. As much as he hated to admit it, Vergil relaxed. Dante let go of him to take a seat. Forgetting himself, he leaned back to try to put his boots up on the desk and nearly fell over for it. Instead, he grumbled and sat up straight to keep himself balanced on the unsteady stacks. 

When Zagreus returned and made himself comfortable, Vergil sat as well with a heavy sigh. “Is there not anywhere else our business can be conducted?”

“We’re… in an office. Where else should business go?”

Vergil pinched the bridge of his nose.

“What he means,” Dante tried to keep the peace, “is there somewhere better to sit and talk?”

“The Lounge, most likely,” Zagreus said with a shrug. “But depending on how this conversation goes, I’m going to need to…  _ ugh _ … look up records in the archives.” He rubbed his face with his hands. “And here I thought I’d be able to escape my duties after being fired…” The prince sighed and crossed his arms on the desk, studying the two intently. “Can I offer you some refreshments while we talk?”

“No, thank you,” Vergil replied, perhaps a little too quickly.

Zagreus nodded, not seeming to notice or care about the twin’s tone. “In that case…” His mismatched eyes darkened in hue. “How about we start with how you entered Hell in the first place?”


	3. Chapter 3

For once, Vergil wished Dante would speak for them. For the big red fool to open his mouth and come up with something, _anything_ but the painful truth. But no. Dante was being stubborn again. His arms crossed over his chest, and if he were on a more stable perch, Vergil knew he’d take some sort of intimidating posture. Something to do with crossing his legs as well and leaning back to give Vergil that _look_. That look that said “Go on, I insist.”

Vergil ran his fingers down the cool sheath of _Yamato_ as the legendary blade leaned against his shoulder. Hugging, for the lack of a better term, the weapon always brought some strange comfort to him. Maybe it was something to do with being raised alongside the sword. Together, even when he was alone.

“I…” Vergil started, his voice cracking as the weight of his sins became as heavy as the cosmos on Atlas’s shoulder. He closed his eyes, reaching deep into his mind and soul, but the voices he sought didn’t answer. His fragment of humanity was silent, as was his demonic half. There was a curse or a spell on the grounds that kept any power from being used, Vergil was sure of it. _And yet we were able to use our abilities to get past the master at his desk… One problem at a time,_ he thought as he returned to the here and now. Both Dante and Zagreus were staring at him, waiting for his answer. In one’s gaze, he saw judgement. In the other… _What is this Prince Zagreus thinking?_ Vergil wondered as his gaze fell away to the table between them. 

He drew a heavy breath and tried again.

“I rose the Qliphoth,” Vergil replied at last. “With it came hordes of de-”

“One moment,” Zagreus interrupted. “The what?”

“Qliphoth.”

The blank look on the laureled youth’s face should have been all the explanation Vergil needed that the prince wasn’t following, but still he had to ask, “Do you not know what that is?”

Zagreus shrugged then shook his head. “Never heard of it.”

Vergil leaned back, wishing he had something to rest against as he brought his hand to his mouth in thought. He couldn’t even summon his ice swords to imbed in the floor and lean against! And now he had the annoyance of having to do lessons on top of it all. 

“Think of it as a giant demon tree,” Dante suddenly cut-in. He used his hands to illustrate the idea further as he continued to explain. “The roots go up into the human world… the Surface I guess is what you’d call it… Anyway, the roots go up to collect the blood of humans. Depending on how much blood it collects, a single tree can get as wide as a whole city block… erm… Bigger than this house…” 

“The roots go… up?” Zagreus asked.

Dante nodded. “And while the roots go up into the Surface, the branches go down, deeper into Hell, until it reaches a place where they intertwine enough to create a temporary alternate plane. Depending on the person who planted the seeds of the Qliphoth to begin with, the plane could be a memory or a desire. And in that chamber, the fruit of the Qliphoth grows.”

“From the blood of mortals?”

“Yeah! According to legend, if someone consumes the fruit of the Qliphoth,” Dante shot a glare at Vergil, “the concentrated power of the demon tree and all the blood sacrificed to it will exponentially increase their power. So _numbnuts_ here did all of that, consumed the fruit, and _still_ lost in… what? A one-on-one with me, then _another_ one-on-one after you were put back together, and then _Nero_ beat you…”

“Enough!” Vergil waved his hand as if trying to swat Dante’s words away. “The point is, I killed a lot of humans and made a mess of the Surface. To destroy the Qliphoth, Dante and I descended into Hell.”

“But you didn’t die.”

“No… Not to our knowledge, at the very least.” 

Zagreus started to sit back in thought and nearly fell over. Righting himself, he leaned onto the desk once more. “And you’re not mortals.”

Vergil looked to his twin for help, but Dante only met his gaze and shrugged. The elder twin sighed heavily. 

“No, we’re not mortals. Not in the traditional sense anyway. We’re…”

“Demi-gods,” Dante answered quickly.

“Demi-gods?” Vergil questioned.

“Demi-gods?” Zagreus asked, sitting up in interest.

“Yeah! Demi-gods. Half mortal, half immortal. Right, Verge?” Dante elbowed his twin.

He had to fight back a scowl. _What is Dante up to?_ “Yes… Demi-gods… Our mother was mortal.”

“ _Ugh_ ,” Zagreus groaned. “Don’t tell me. Zeus?”

“Yup! You got it! First try! Our mother was mortal and our father is Zeus.”

Zagreus narrowed his eyes at them. “Didn’t… Achilles say something about Sparda, your father, and your teacher?”

“Spar _ta_ ,” Vergil corrected. “We’re…” _Ugh._ “We’re sons of Spar _t_ _a_.”

“Spartans,” Zagreus whispered, an enthusiastic grin growing on his face. “That’s why Achilles was so interested in you. And why you know of him.”

Dante was grinning from ear to ear, even under Vergil’s glare. 

“So you’ll be wanting to return to Olympus then.”

Dante’s grin faltered.

“Olympus?” 

He looked to Vergil for support, but his elder only crossed his arms. _You got us into this lie, foolish poet,_ Vergil thought. _Now get us out of it!_

“Erm… No, we’re not interested in getting to Olympus,” Dante explained. “We’re um… We really just want to get back to the Surface. Got some unfinished business there before we can um… before we really _can_ get to Olympus.”

“Well you’re in luck then.” Zagreus grinned as he leaned forward onto the desk. If he were a woman, his bosom would have spilled out onto his arms from the posture, but having only pecks, the gesture highlighted his muscular body exposed by his clothes. Vergil had to keep his eyes on the prince’s face to avoid his gaze from lingering where it probably shouldn’t. “I’m on my way to the Surface myself for some… family business. And since you’re kin, it would be unfair of me to not offer my sword in assistance.”

“Kin?” Dante needed a moment to draw out the fake family tree in his brain. Vergil could follow his thoughts easily; the floaty one from before had addressed Zagreus as “Prince”, and the master at his desk was “Lord Hades”, therefore… “Oh! Right! Yeah, kin! We’re cousins!” He grinned at Zagreus. “Don’t think that protects you from bein’ flirted with.”

“I look forward to your failed attempts,” Zagreus purred in return, trying to meet Dante’s assertion of dominance. However, this was subverted by the youth’s own blush that painted his cheeks.  _ Such a shame he doesn’t have freckles, _ Vergil caught himself thinking. The laureled man stood, and out of reflex, Dante and Vergil did the same. “I have some things I want to try to look up here, but…” He glanced at the cabinet of files spilling with paper. “It shouldn’t take long before I get bored and give up.”

“We’ll be right outside,” Vergil promised, grasping his brother’s coat cuff to drag him away.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> good news everyone! i think i found a plot!
> 
> bad news everyone! i think it's a bit dark!

“I am _the_ dumbest smart person I know,” Dante muttered.

They were standing in the hallway again, debating on what to do next while Zagreus was searching through the archives. It gave the twins some time alone, which is something they both really did and did _not_ need. 

The wall against Dante’s back suddenly felt more real than anything else since their arrival. Even Vergil’s warmth beside him felt surreal and muddled. His brother managed to be leaning on both the wall and Dante, his head on Dante’s shoulder and his eyes closed. It was a trusting gesture Dante hadn’t seen in a long time, and one he didn’t want to interrupt anytime soon.

“What are you torturing yourself over now, brother?”

“Everything,” which felt like an understatement. “Mostly for makin’ that dumbass comment about us bein’ sons of Zeus. How is that _not_ goin’ to bite us in the ass later? Why not just come out and _say_ we’re half demons? What the _Hell_ was I even _thinking_?” 

“You were too busy admiring his tits…”

“He _does_ have nice tits…”

Vergil lifted his head just to glare at his twin for a moment. The elder sighed as he settled against Dante once more. “What are you going to do about that little lie you told?”

“Well, it won’t be hard to _prove_. We can do shit normal humans can’t.”

“Unfortunately, it will be just as easy to _disprove_ ,” Vergil mumbled. “If Hades is as alive and real as we are…”

“Then so is the rest of the ‘family’.”

“All it would take is one encounter with Zeus himself to pull the strings of our story apart.”

“Well… Then we just make a point to _not_ encounter Zeus in the first place.”

Vergil chuffed loudly. 

Dante smiled to himself, but didn’t argue against his brother’s amusement. Instead, he let a comfortable quiet settle around them. It was a rare moment, so much so that Dante couldn’t remember the last moment of peace they had. _Years and years ago_ , he decided, closing his eyes as well. He listened to the distant lapping of waves against the marble pool, to music playing somewhere rooms away, to Vergil’s breath and heartbeat. As his mind wandered, it came back to the lie he told about being half mortal. _Eva…_

“Dante…” Vergil’s voice sounded so small that for a moment, Dante wondered if his brother was a child again. 

“Mm?”

“Do you think… _she’s_ here somewhere?”

“Maybe… I was thinkin’ the same thing. If Tartarus is real, then there’s a chance that Eva’s down here somewhere.”

“She wouldn’t be a common shade though, would she?”

“I doubt it. Mom was pretty special, even for a human. She’s a witch, remember? Even if she wasn’t with Dad, she’d still be pretty dang important enough to be in the Underworld as herself.”

“With her being a witch, she falls under the domain of Hecate, the witch-goddess. An interesting bit of irony, since Hecate is Greek as well.”

“So even if we’re not ‘sons of Zeus’, we’re… grandsons of Hecate?”

Vergil chuffed once more, smiling at the thought even as he shook his head. “That’s not how this works, Dante.” 

“According to whom?”

He didn’t reply, and Dante didn’t press him for an answer.

After a few moments of quiet, Vergil finally did ask, “What made you think of calling us demi-gods to begin with?”

Dante grinned. “‘When someone asks are you a god, you say yes!’ I _have_ seen _Ghostbusters_ about a dozen or so times, you know.”

The door to the Administrative Chamber opened once more, and Vergil stood up straight off of his brother’s shoulder. As Zagreus approached them, Vergil gave one last whisper to his brother, “Let us hope your need to quote movies doesn’t get us in further trouble.”

“Always,” Dante quipped with a grin. He turned that grin to Zagreus. “So, what’d you find in the archives?”

“Truthfully, I don’t even know what I was looking for,” the prince of the Underworld admitted. “Let alone where to find it. Most of Father’s records are regarding the administrative upkeep of Hell rather than helping Zeus’s offspring return to the Surface.”

“So where do we go from here?” Vergil asked, as if neither he nor Dante had formed a plan yet. Dante couldn’t speak for his brother, but he knew his twin well enough to know Vergil didn’t sit still for a problem. Whether or not they came to the same conclusion was another matter entirely.

Zagreus shrugged with one shoulder. “I’ve been fighting my way up to the Surface over and over. Maybe not being Underworldly denizens yourselves, you’ll have better luck staying in the mortal realm longer than I can. But if we are to try this, we’ll need to sneak past my father’s desk again. We were lucky before, and I don’t know how long that luck will last.”

Dante rubbed the back of his neck. “Maybe we don’t _need_ to sneak. The story that we’re your guests seems to be workin’ for everyone else. Why not him?”

“Father and I don’t exactly see eye-to-eye with one another. I doubt he would welcome any guests coming to the house, let alone guests of mine.”

“Mood,” Vergil mumbled quietly.

When Zagreus gave Dante a confused look, he only shook his head. “I’ll explain later,” Dante promised. “We can’t ask your floaty friend -”

“Hypnos.”

“Zapdos to distract your old man. He won’t fall for that twice.” 

“You’d be surprised,” Zag grumbled. “He once tried to order a sundial installed.”

Both twins looked around. 

“Where the fuck…”

“I don’t understand either, but my point is, Father isn’t as genius as you or he may believe, I assure you. But…” A mischievous look grew on the prince’s face as he rubbed his chin in thought. “Give me just a few moments. I think I know _exactly_ what can distract the Lord Hades for long enough for the two of you to slip by.” His grin grew to be positively devilish, making Dante’s heart skip a beat. “Yes, that would work splendidly. Just wait for my signal, then head down to the other hallway. We can escape through my chambers. I’ll meet you there.”

He ran off before Dante or Vergil could question what exactly his grand plan was. The twins waited behind a pillar, watching as Zagreus strode right up to the three-headed Hellhound that guarded the desk.

“So _fucking_ cool…” Dante whispered as the prince spoke softly and pet one of the massive heads. Even from the distance of the chamber, he could see Zagreus’s genuine smile. 

Vergil rolled his eyes. “Which one? The Cerberus or our gracious host?”

“Both… I mean, the kid’s cool too, but Verge… _another_ Cerberus! What’re the odds?”

“How do you mean?”

“I had two Cerberus, and there’s a third. _Three_ Cerberus, with three heads each. That’s like… doggo cubed!”

“Dante, you are possibly the only creature in all the realms that would be excited about having nine Cerberus heads to pet.”

Before Dante could retort, Zagreus stepped past Cerberus to grasp the urn containing numbers scrolls behind him with both hands. With effort and a grunt, the urn toppled over to spill its contents on the floor.

Lord Hades stood from his seat. “Boy?!” His booming voice made the walls and floor tremble with his rage. “ _W_ _hat_ do you think you’re _doing_?!”

“Oh nothing, Father.” Zagreus looked at the tower of scrolls piled up in the wall nook. Suddenly those went spilling onto the floor as well as he took several from the middle to topple the stack. He stepped away from the mess. “Since my rampaging through your realm isn’t making my message clear enough for you, I thought I’d bring my chaos and fury closer to home. Maybe now you’ll finally give up your chains on me and let me go.”

“The only thing you’re accomplishing, _boy_ , is making your inevitable downfall more embarrassing,” Lord Hades snarled. He pointed down the hallway. “Get out of my sight! Before I choose to lift the rule of no violence within the household to smite you myself.”

“Very well then. We’ll cross blades again, Father. We always do when I reach the Surface.”

The massive god gave only a grunt of acknowledgement before turning his back to the office and rest of the house to restore order to his disheveled scrolls. 

Zagreus grinned as he looked around for his guests. At a gesture, they came out from behind the pillar and crossed the chamber in a speed walk. Why they didn’t show off their speed again, the prince could only guess. Maybe they were worried Lord Hades would detect their unfamiliar presence. He shrugged and led the way. 

“Beyond my chambers is a vault of weapons, should you desire them,” Zagreus warned them. “From there, we can escape into Tartarus and begin our journey to the surface.” He paused outside the lounge and glanced in. “I have some business to attend to before we go.” The prince tilted his head at them. “Are you sure I can’t offer you anything? Something to drink or eat before we go? Even demi-gods get hungry from time to time…”

The twins looked between each other, then shook their heads. 

He shrugged and gestured to his chamber. “Go right in then. Make yourselves comfortable. I’ll be just a moment.”

As they headed into his room, Zagreus entered the lounge. He bit back a grin at the sight of Megaera’s back at the bar. As sour as she would be about losing, he still was curious about something that the pair had said to him. 

Zagreus leaned his elbows on the counter beside her. “Meg.”

“Zagreus,” she purred his name. Or snarled, he couldn’t tell. “Come here to gloat at my defeat yet again?”

“Not this time, no,” he assured her with a smile that he hoped was charming. “In fact, I have a question for you. Do you know any Spartans?”

“Personally? No. I don’t usually take the time to get to know mortals before sending them back to Hell.”

“Fair enough… I just… I happened to meet a couple, and I wasn’t too sure of them…”

She chuffed. “Legends and epics I leave to Achilles and Than. Despite his cold exterior, our mutual friend has a taste for mortal literature.”

“Than…” Zagreus sighed, smiling to himself at the thought of his boyfriend reading in bed. “Don’t suppose you know where I can find him?”

“Last I knew, he was waiting for you in your chambers.”

“Romant- waitwhat?” Zagreus stood up straight. “In my chambers? In my chambers!” He was running before he really realized why he was running to begin with. Was it fear or worry? He’d figure that out later once he was sure…

He bumped into Dante and Vergil just inside his chamber. The room was eerily cold, but Zagreus was certain the source was the cloaked shape in the center of his room.

“Thanatos…” Zagreus said his name gently, holding up both hands as he slipped between the twins to come between them and his boyfriend. “I can explain…”


	5. Than/Zag: 1

The golden gaze of his gothic boyfriend hardly seemed to notice Zag. Than’s glare was reserved for the twins behind him.

“What are _they_ doing here?” Than finally questioned. 

As always, Zag couldn’t decide what emotion was lurking behind that monotone voice. Was it rage? Jealousy? Both? “These are my friends. Allow me to introduce you to them, and then they’ll be on their way.”

“Introductions are not required. I know very well who they are. They both have been eluding me for years, escaping my scythe through some magical means or another.” He tilted his head at Zag, a small smile playing on the corner of his lips. “Much like you have constantly defied death, so have they.”

Zag relaxed with a soft sigh. Than was teasing him, in his own special way. _Thank the gods. I don’t know if I would be able to leave for any amount of time at all if I knew he was upset with me._

“We’re headin’ up to the surface,” Dante butted in to the conversation. “You comin’ with us?”

“Me?” Than seemed genuinely surprised by the offer. He shook his head. “I only go to the surface to work.” His gold eyes flicked to Zag, his gaze warming the prince’s blood like nectar. “And my shift has just ended for the day.”

“Does that mean you won’t come dance with me in the fields of Elysium?” 

Than purred and shook his head once more. “Truth be told, Zag… I’d rather _dance_ with you now.”

The flames of Asphodel were cooler than the flush that ran up Zag’s back, across his face, and down his chest. He quickly spun on his heel to face the twins, pushing his hands on their chests towards the door. 

“Lounge! Lounge! Go back to the lounge! Wait for me there! Don’t come in a single _moment_ before I come get you!”

Dante grinned as he stumbled backwards at Zag’s shoving. “Hey, easy now! What’s goin’ on? Got a hot date or somethin’?”

“ _Yes_! Now would you _please_ vacate my room?!” 

Zag gave them a final push and fumbled to close the curtains in a feeble attempt at privacy. Dante’s grin was all the more knowing as he led Vergil into the lounge across the hall. He looked over his shoulder to wink at Zag, who ducked back behind the curtains before his guest could see the prince’s flustered blush. His heart pounded in his chest so hard, he thought it would burst out at any moment. 

“I’m getting a proper door next time I meet the contractor,” he mumbled, wishing suddenly for a better way to block off the exit. 

He glanced at the Mirror of Night, but before the question of how to move it fully formed in his head, hands as cool as death grasped his wrists and pulled him out of his thoughts. Zag moaned as he was pressed against the wide pillar, Than’s body flush against his own. A knee wedged Zag’s apart, and the prince happily obliged as Death Incarnate kissed him with the hunger of one trying to get the last drops of nectar from the bottle. Those hands didn’t release his wrists and instead pinned them to the wall. 

“ _Touch me,_ ” Zag mumbled against Than’s lips. His skin felt like it was on fire, and not just his infernal feet; his whole body felt like it was made from molten lava just waiting to pour onto the floor. He _needed_ those cold hands on his body to bring him back to the _here and now_. Otherwise, Zag knew he’d get lost in the fog of pleasure that was building. 

“Have you earned it?” Than asked with a smirk. 

Zag could only whine in response. Had he? The prince wasn’t sure. All he knew was he _needed_ to be touched and kissed more. Death Incarnate chuckled lowly in his chest. He guided Zag’s hands down behind his back. There, pinned by Zag’s weight and one firm hand, they would be out of Than’s way. He gave Zag’s wrists a firm squeeze.

“Keep them there,” he commanded his prince, his voice a grating whisper in Zag’s ear.

The laureled man nodded, whimpering softly as Than’s hand released his wrists. Zag moaned as he was kissed once more, two cool hands cupping his throat. Fingers tangled in his hair at the back of his neck. Than’s lips and tongue tasted like fresh pomegranate juice, sweet and tart. Those lips let go of Zag’s, and he leaned his head back against the wall as Than’s cool hands trailed down his neck to his chest. He cupped Zag’s pecs, brushed his thumbs over rising nipples. 

“Are you in a hurry to leave today?” Than asked.

That time, Zag could hear the sadness in his voice. The fear that Zagreus would leave one day and never come back.

“No…” He gave his boyfriend a shy smile. “I have all the time in the world for you, Than. Always. You’ll always come before any foolish venture I may go on. Take all the time you want with me. Olympus, the Surface… All of that can wait.”

“Zag…” 

The kiss spoke all the words that Than was too shy to admit out loud. It was long and sweet, starting as a chaste touch of lips to lips that slowly bloomed, slowly grew deeper. Zag shrugged, helping Than remove the toga from his shoulder and expose his chest completely to his boyfriend’s chilling touch. Than’s fingers were as light as a feather against Zag’s skin, leaving ghostly trails in their wake as he traced every curve of Zag’s muscles. Down his chest, down his sides, to his hips. His fingers pushed under the prince’s clothes to touch his bare hips. 

Zag shivered and groaned as he felt Than’s thumbs trace that V in his abdomen that led to his groin, stroking his skin so tenderly that even Death Incarnate’s skin felt like silk. Than occupied his lips with Zag’s neck, kissing and nibbling along its length. His boyfriend tilted his head to accommodate him, giving Than all the room he wanted to taste. Those sharp teeth bit hard, and Zag had to bite his own lip to keep from moaning loudly at that pleasurable feeling. 

The tip of Than’s tongue traced its way back up to Zag’s ear. “You’re being awfully quiet,” he murmured. “Any particular…” He bit the lobe, earning a melting whimper from his boyfriend. “Reason?”

He squirmed a bit against Than’s body. Zag’s gaze glanced over Than’s shoulder, half expecting to see steel-blue eyes and a wolfish grin. As if knowing what Zag was thinking, Than gave both his nipples a pinch, earning a yelp and sigh from his submissive boyfriend. 

“I _was_ going to be sweet on you this time, Zag… but it seems you are not only _needing_ to be punished for your _bad_ behavior… you’re _wanting_ to be punished.”

“It’s not what you think,” Zag tried to defend himself, but it was too late. 

Than changed his grip on the laureled man to turn him around, pressing Zag’s bare chest to the cold stone pillar. His arms were behind him still, tangled in his toga. He shivered as he felt Than’s hands under his toga, untying his rope belt beneath. The cloth slid against his skin as Than pushed his pants down his thighs, letting their weight take care of the rest. 

His whole body shuddered as he felt a cool hand against his cock, already hard and pulsing in interest. Zag swore he could almost hear the sizzle of Than’s icy touch against his burning flesh. A thumb drew a circle on the crown of Zag’s cock, and Than brought his hand to his boyfriend’s face for him to see the sticky pearl between thumb and forefinger. 

“Is this from thinking of me, Zag? Or were you thinking of one of _them_ while I was touching you?”

“ _You_ …” Zag whimpered. “Only you, Than… When you touch me like this… All I can feel is your cold… All I can feel is _you_ … And that’s all I can think about… _You_ …”

He blinked, and suddenly the hard stone he was pressed into was replaced with the plush of his bed. Than’s poofing was always disorienting, even if it was only a few feet. But Zag didn’t complain as he felt his clothes become untangled from his arms and body, and cool hands stripped him of _everything_. All his armor, all the cloth on him, everything but his laurels were removed from his body. Zag’s arms haloed his head as he was rolled onto his back. From there, he could watch Than undress as well. Every article of cloth and armor that Than removed vanished before it hit the floor, going to who knew where. As far as Zag was concerned, they went to Than’s chamber, wherever that was. 

“You’ll have to take me to your room sometime,” Zag told him as his eyes raked over his boyfriend’s muscular body. 

“Your bed is far more comfortable and much more suitable for having sex in than mine,” Than told him as he reached for a bottle of nectar sitting on a shelf above Zag’s head. 

“What, do you sleep in a tomb?”

Than popped the cork from the bottle and poured some into his hand. “I _do_ have a certain aesthetic to maintain.” 

“Wait, really?”

His boyfriend didn’t answer. Instead, those nectar-coated fingers went between Zag’s legs, between the rounds of his ass, and straight for his tight bud. The prince moaned, clutching the pillow at his head. 

“Breathe.”

“Kinda hard…”

Than rolled his eyes and leaned over his boyfriend to kiss his lips slowly. His lips trailed along Zag’s jaw to his neck, looking for that sweet spot. When he found it, he gave Zag’s soft flesh a hard bite. The rippling shiver and moan was what he was waiting for, easing his slick fingers into his boyfriend. They’d done this enough times that each time got a little easier, and as Than’s fingers touched that spot inside Zag, the prince of the underworld melted a little more. He let his lips hang open in moans and heated sighs as Than stretched him and prepared him for their lovemaking. 

His boyfriend purred in approval. “You’re getting to be quite _noisy_ , Zag…”

He grinned through his blush. “I want the whole underworld to know that I belong to you, Than… Father, Nyx… From the depths of Tartarus to the highest peak of Olympus, I want them to know I’m yours…”

Death Incarnate chuckled lowly, coating his own cock in the warm nectar. “Then let me hear you sing, my sweet prince…”

Even with the slick nectar coating him, Than’s cock was cold as he pushed the head into Zag’s body. He let out a sound that was both a whine and moan, a sound that perhaps a woman would make under similar circumstances. His body tightened out of reflex, and Than had to kiss and bite him to get him to relax again. Zag reached over his head in search of something to grip and brace himself on, finding an unsteady bookshelf. Inch by inch, Than pushed himself in.

“Really must… _haah…_ com _mmm_ mission the contractor to make a _hah!_ a better bedframe… _hnn_ …”

Than chuffed at the idea. “Something that I can tie you down onto perhaps?”

“Hah _aaaah!_ ” Zag’s chuff became a moan as Than thrust in to the hilt. His boyfriend gripped his hips, angling them just right. “ _Than…_ ”

“Sing me your praise, Zagreus…”

He rolled his hips, pulling out just enough for Zag to feel empty without him. Just when only the crown of his cock remained, Than thrust in again, striking true. Zag’s voice escaped him in a cry of pure pleasure, waves of warmth rippling through his body. Slowly the pace picked up, with the time between those thrusts becoming shorter and shorter. 

“ _Than…_ ” Zag moaned his name as he felt that sweet pressure building inside him. “ _Than… Than!_ ” 

His lips parted to cry out again, but the cry never came even though he did. Thanatos’s name froze in his chest as the orgasm seized his body. His fiery toes curled from the power of it all, and he could feel Than pulsing inside him, filling him completely. 

Than laid gently on his boyfriend, bracing himself to not crush Zag with his weight as they rode out the last remnants of their climax together.

How much time passed, Zag wasn’t sure. Hours, days, weeks could pass in Hell, and he’d never know it. But after the heat of their passion-making had faded, Zag found himself lying against Than’s body, their legs tangled together and the sound of Than’s heart against his ear. 

A gentle hand ran along Zag’s arm to his hand, bringing his palm to Than’s lips to kiss. 

“Will you come back this time?”

“I always do, Than… I can’t stay on the Surface for long. I only wish I could bring you something back.”

“The only thing I want is you, Zag.” He sighed heavily. “Those two… Will they be returning with you?”

“Truthfully, I don’t know. I would like to hope that I’ll be returning alone, but when has anything been that simple for me? Or us?”

Than didn’t reply immediately. He rolled onto his side to face Zag, his golden eyes intense with a thousand emotions.

“Don’t trust them, Zag. Whatever they say, whatever they _do_ … Don’t trust them. There is more to them than what you or I understand. They are of Hell, but not our house. They are of a different Hell, a darker… bloodier place than our own…”

He tried to smile. “Than, you’re scaring me… What’s going on?”

“Nothing…” His gaze lowered away. He tucked his head under Zag’s jaw. “Just hold me for a moment longer before you go…”

“Of course, Than… You need only to ask.”


	6. Chapter 6

The lounge was ironically the most lively place in the House of Hades. Or at least, it was in Dante’s opinion. There was a warm, blazing fire, comfortable seating, and a strange skull-shaped disco ball that was so aesthetic that Dante half wanted one for his shop. Sitting at the bar, he patted himself down and found his phone, surprisingly undamaged. Unsurprising was the lack of WiFi. He held it up in search of a signal, and finding none, opted for a selfie instead. 

“Can you _not_ be a brainless oaf for one _moment_ of your life?” Vergil grumbled. His eyes were on the shade in the chef hat, watching as if mesmerized by his skills with the knife. 

Dante grinned as he pocketed his phone. He leaned back onto the bar with both elbows, his eyes going across the hall to those closed curtains. He could hear the unmistakeable moaning of sex from here. The question was, which of the two was the bottom? 

“Which do you think it is?” Dante asked, finally turning in his seat to face the right way.

“Hm?”

“Which do you think is the bottom?”

Vergil blushed at the thought. “It would be improper to make assumptions of someone you hardly know. Let alone imagine their prowess in bed.”

“C’mon, Verge… You’re a bottom! You should know another bottom when you see one!”

He sat up straight and turned in his stool to face Dante. His hands went to Dante’s knees and slid up his thighs. Dante grinned as he leaned forward to meet Vergil’s kiss, but his twin stopped him with a bonk of forehead to forehead.

“I am _not_ a bottom. We are both switches. We take _turns_.”

“And it’s _your_ turn.”

“And _we’re_ in a public house.”

Dante stole a quick smooch on his lips anyway, backing away before Vergil could slap him. However, both hands remained dangerously on Dante’s thighs. Before he could think to beg for mercy, Vergil squeezed with both hands. The younger twin fell forward in his seat, laughing and squirming. He shakily hooked his feet into the stool to keep from falling off, and suddenly the game went from “tickle Dante” to “king of the stool”, with Vergil currently at the advantage. He flailed to grab Vergil’s wrists or arms, just to get any hold on him at all, but the uncontrollable spasming of his body at the tickling meant his grip was weak and amounted to nothing. Vergil was grinning, which was a first. Breathless, Dante had to change his tactic. 

His hands were shaking a little as he grabbed Vergil by his coat and pulled him forward to kiss again. Vergil’s tickling ceased immediately, and his guard lowered even further, letting Dante’s hands slide down his chest for his waist. Before Vergil could realize what he was doing or stop him, Dante squeezed. The sound that came from his brother couldn’t be described with words. It was a short sound, but not a full yelp or scream. It was too loud to be a squeak, though it was the best word that Dante could think of. So Vergil squeaked as his sides were squeezed, and he flailed as Dante had to escape his brother’s torture. Vergil didn’t laugh out loud. Instead, he grinned like an idiot, his breath caught in his chest. Vergil didn’t laugh; he just stopped breathing.

Dante let go and sat back. “Breathe.”

“ _Shut..."_ Vergil gasped. “ _Up…_ ”

“I looooove yoooou.”

Vergil replied with a hand to Dante’s face, pushing him away. 

The younger twin grinned as he sat back into his seat, both of them reclaiming their lost territory. The game was over, neither of them had fallen off, and it was a draw. For now.

Bored again, Dante fished through his coat. He tried his phone again, but none of his apps would load without _some_ amount of Internet. So instead he got out a deck of worn red playing cards. Except one card, the two of hearts, had been replaced with a blue card of the same brand. The box set aside, Dante stretched his fingers and started shuffling. 

He nudged Vergil with an elbow. “Hey, play cards with me.”

In the time it took for Dante to become bored, Vergil had himself found a small paperback in his own coat that remained miraculously undamaged. Or he had stolen it from the Administrative Chamber. Dante wasn’t sure, nor would he put it past Vergil to do such a thing as steal another person’s Harlequin. “Play on your phone.”

“Can’t. No signal. Play cards with me.”

“Go find a bathroom and play with yourself.”

Making a face, Dante let the conversation end there. He shuffled the deck and played a couple quick rounds of one-hand solitaire. Growing bored of that, he shuffled and dealt a hand of Free Cell, but there wasn’t enough room on the counter. And if there wasn’t enough room for Free Cell, then there _definitely_ wasn’t enough room for Pyramid or regular Solitaire. He shook stiffness from his hand at the thought of more one-handed Solitaire. Dante shuffled and looked around for the next victim of his presence.

“Hey, there’s a blue chick at that table. Think she knows how to play cards?”

Vergil lowered his book and looked around for the “blue chick” in question. There were few things that caused Vergil to _fear_ , and something about the woman in the blue toga and armor made even the devil inside him feel the primordial _fear_ one does in the presence of a predator. She looked civil enough at the moment, swirling a goblet of red liquid idly as she spoke to a floating green mass of snakes with a face. But how long would _that_ last? His attention returned to his brother.

“Dante, you have five dollars in assorted coins somewhere in the abyss of lint you call pockets. We need at least seventy-five cents to make a phone call once we get to the surface, assuming wherever we arise will be out of cellular range. _Please_ do not lose _all_ of your money.”

“Bold of you to assume I’ll be playing for money,” Dante assured him with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

“ _U_ _gh_ ,” was all Vergil had to say about that, returning to his book.

Dante stood and smoothed out the wrinkles from his pants and made sure his shirt was neatly tucked in. Deck of cards in hand, he sauntered over to the table, noting that there was once more a lack of seating available. He nudged a stool from another table over with his foot and did his best Riker-sit. The two conversing hardly noticed him. 

“You’re more of a sister to me than they are, Dusa,” the blue-skinned woman purred to the floating head of snakes. “I don’t always see eye-to-eye with Lord Hades’s decisions, but I am grateful he doesn’t allow them into the house.”

“I’ll always be here if you need someone to talk to,” Dusa replied, a shy smile on her face. 

One of her snakes narrowed its eyes at Dante, and suddenly she noticed him, jolting back. 

“O-oh!” The gorgon’s previous steady voice suddenly warbled with quivering nervousness and anxiety. “E-excuse me, sir, I um… I didn’t see you there… Is there um… Is there something you need? Something I can get you? We don’t have guests often, I um…”

The blue woman squinted at him in suspicion. “Don’t worry yourself with the likes of _him_ , Dusa,” she told her companion without even looking back at the snake-haired head. Her voice was filled with enough venom that even Dante was sure his heart would stop with one bite. “He and his _kind_ aren’t welcome here. He is no guest. Just more garbage dragged in from the Surface.”

“Right… um… I’ll see you later.” Dusa skittered off before Dante could even smile at her.

Dante flashed a grin at Meg. “So you know who ‘n’ what I am, huh?” He shrugged. “Say what you want about us not bein’ welcome, but we _are_ guests of uh… what’s his name again? Zag! Yeah, we’re guests of Prince Zagreus.”

“Zagreus?” For a brief moment, Meg looked shocked. Then her suspicious glare returned, even darker than before. “I don’t know what you’re up to, _demon_ , but it is my duty to keep low-ranking _scum_ such as yourself out of the prince’s presence and out of the royal house.”

“Cheers!” Vergil exclaimed, hearing his favorite word.

“She’s talking about you too, ass!” Dante hollered back.

They flipped each other off, and Dante’s grin was wider than before as he faced Meg.

“Well, scum and filth that we are, we’re still here, and we’re still Zag’s guests.” He leaned forward, his chin on a hand. “I never got your name, or should I just call you ‘Delphinium’ for your floral hue?”

Meg scoffed, looking more disgusted than charmed. Vergil turned in his stool to observe, far more amused by Dante’s repeated flirtatious failures than whatever drama was happening in his bodice-ripper. 

“You have no right to know my name,” she hissed to him. A dark grin played on her face, exposing fangs large enough that impressed even Vergil. “The only thing you’re allowed to call me is _mistress_.”

“Bold of you to assume I can say such a big word,” Dante purred. “Can I just call you _domina?_ ”

“They’re the same thing!” Vergil shouted from his stool.

Dante looked around for something to throw at him.

“ _T_ _ch_. Survive a battle against me, and then we’ll consider your right to call me by name,” Meg challenged him.

“And what will you give me if I lose?” 

Her golden eyes seemed to glow with her growing anger. “You think I’m so foolish as to make a deal with a devil? I know your _kind_. Just because we’re both born in blood and darkness doesn’t make us allies. I’m giving you one last chance. Go back to the putrid depths you came from, and pray our paths never meet outside the House of Hades.”

“We don’t have to be enemies either,” Dante pleaded with her, shaking his head. He gave up trying to be charming; she wasn’t interested and it wasn’t his business to know why. “All I want is to know your name and play cards with you while I wait for my frien-!”

Suddenly she roared, grabbing the table and shoving it to one side completely. “He’s not your friend!” Meg snarled. She reached for her whip and snapped it in Dante’s direction. He flinched back at its crack like too-close thunder. “Prince Zagreus is as far away from you as Mount Olympus! You have no place in his presence!”

“Wow, what’s your deal? You sound like a jealous ex!”

Meg screeched at him louder than any banshee he’d ever vanquished. She lunged for him, and Dante dove away. Vergil leapt out of her way as she crashed into the bar counter, splintering it. Together, the twins backed towards the door.

“Where did Zag say the exit was?”

“Through the vault beyond his chambers…”

“Here’s hopin’ they’re finished!”

They turned on their heels and ran for the open doors of the lounge. Dante didn’t look back, but he heard the blue woman’s fury behind him. He heard more tables being tossed aside and felt the breeze off of her whip as she snapped it after them. 

Dante tore the curtains open and kept running through Zagreus’s chambers. He didn’t even pause to admire either of the muscular men, still in the process of putting their clothes in order over their rippling frames.

“HeyZagMeanblueladyismadatusseeyouinthecourtyardbye!” Dante got out as fast as he could as he zipped between them, Vergil at his side.

Zagreus blinked at their retreating backs and then to Meg standing in the doorway to his chamber. She snarled and grumbled, turning her gaze away before either could comment on the sapphire blush across her cheeks. The prince sighed as he straightened his armor and tightened his belts. 

“Sorry about the trouble, Meg,” Zag apologized sincerely. Whatever had happened, he felt was _partly_ his fault. If he had just made them wait in the vault to begin with, perhaps there would have been peace in the House of Hades. “I didn’t mean -”

“Save it, Zagreus,” she growled. “It just fuels me further for when you reach me.”

“When? Not if?”

She chuffed, shaking her head. “There’s no ifs about it, Zag. Getting to me is the easy part…” Her golden gaze turned to him, and she quirked her pierced eyebrow at him. “It’s getting past me that’s the challenge. And don’t think I’ll go easier on you now that you have back-up. I have orders to bring you home.”

“One way or another?”

Meg smiled as she chuffed again, walking away to give the lovers a last private moment together.

Zag sighed, his shoulders slumping a little as he faced Than. He gave his boyfriend a small smile as they came closer for one last touch. Than’s eyes closed as their foreheads came together. 

“Anything you want from the surface, Than?”

“Only you, Zag. Don’t stay up there too long. I don’t want to be the one to be forced to find you and bring you back.”

“I always come back, Than.”

“Whether you want to or not…”

His smile fell. “I always _want_ to come back… but…”

Than silenced him with a kiss. “No more words. You’ll say something you regret if you keep talking. Go.” 

He smiled a little as Zagreus forced himself to let go and step back. Their fingers were the last touch, slipping away as if they were physically being pulled away from one another.

“Meet me in Elysium?”

“Only if you’re a good boy,” Than replied with a grin. He poofed away before Zag could reply, a grin on his own face as he followed after the twins.


	7. Chapter 7

Zag was relieved as he entered the vault and found the twins still there. _Didn’t want them to get too far ahead of me,_ he thought as he leaned against the doorframe, observing them. Dante was admiring the display of Infernal Arms, his hands clasped behind his back like a child scolded for touching things they weren’t supposed to too many times. Zag had to smile; he knew the feeling, surprised even that Hades’ multiple smacks upon his hand hadn’t left permanent marks or damage. Vergil, on the other hand, was conversing with Skelly. His posture was rigid, as still as a statue as he rested his hands on the long blade he stood end to end. The prince of Hell wondered for a moment if Vergil even _knew_ how to relax. Zag abandoned his post at the door, passing the swordmaster and training dummy to stand by Dante’s side.

Dante grinned at him, tilting his head in Zag’s direction to acknowledge the prince’s presence. “Nice collection you’ve got,” he commented. “Stygian Blade… Aegis… Hell, you even have Exagryph! Never thought I’d get to see it myself…”

He felt his insides light up. “You know of Father’s Infernal Arms? You must be quite the historian to know their legends.”

“Historian? Nah…” He leaned closer to Zag, and the prince found himself leaning to meet him as Dante’s voice lowered to a secretive whisper. “More of a collector. Have a museum’s worth of artifacts and weapons back in my shop.”

“Like what?” Zag asked, his curiosity getting the best of him.

The younger twin grinned and started to answer, but his elder cut him off before he could speak. “I apologize for my brother’s behavior,” Vergil purred as he joined the pair admiring the weapons. “He tends to forget his manners when the conversation turns to combat and arms. If you’re not careful, he _will_ talk you into madness.”

“Nothing to apologize for, sir,” Zag replied with a smile. “Being trained by Achilles, I am used to long stories of wondrous weapons.” He nodded pointedly to his own small collection. “If you see one you fancy, you’re more than welcome to use it on our battle to the Surface. I don’t mind, and I’m certain they won’t either.”

“Hell yea- _ow!_ ”

Vergil sighed as he returned _Yamato_ to his side after bonking Dante with it again. “Thank you, but that is quite unnecessary. We are both adequately armed, and he has _plenty_ of weapons at home.”

Zag furrowed his brows and tilted his head at them a little, confused. Between the two of them, the only weapon he noticed was Vergil’s curved sword. _Katana_ , he remembered Achilles calling it when they studied weapons years ago. He shook the memory from his mind.

“Pardon me for saying, but are you? I’ve not noticed any other weapons on your persons.”

“Only because we were tryin’ to be well-behaved guests,” Dante excused with a grin. He reached behind himself under his coat and drew a pair of… well Zag wasn’t sure what _exactly_ they were. They looked like miniature versions of Exagryph, but… _different_. One was shimmering silver while the other looked to be a brushed black metal. He held them out to Zag for the prince to examine, but he politely declined the gesture. Truth be told, Zag didn’t trust himself to not look like a fool with it. Dante didn’t seem offended, which was assuring. “So this one’s Ebony and that one’s Ivory. Got ‘em custom made when I was… _shit_ , how old were we, Verge? The whole incident at Bobby’s Cellar?” 

“Seventeen,” Vergil answered without hesitation. 

“Right! So this one, Ebony, she’s made to keep my hand steady for when I need to hit something at a longer range. And her sister, Ivory, she’s built to keep up with my itchy trigger finger. Made for both rapid firing _and_ quick-drawing.”

“Nice,” Zag complimented with a grin, not really understanding what any of those things meant.

“And when I need something for a shorter range…” 

Dante tucked the swords behind himself once more, then stretched an arm out to the side. Zag _felt_ it then. A strange concentration of magic that he both recognized and didn’t. The only way he could describe it was _blood and darkness_ that only lasted for a flash. And then the sword appeared in Dante’s outstretched hand. He stabbed its tip into the floor, which Zag knew would heal while they were gone. 

The sword was _fascinating_. From tip to pommel, it was as tall as Dante was, and it pulsed with a heartbeat of power that made Zag’s skin tingle. Along the length of the blade, Zag could see the cracks in the hardened lava stone, and in those cracks, he thought he could see the glow of lava still hot. The guard looked like talons, and the red stone in the pommel looked like a crystal of concentrated _blood_. As much as he wanted to reach out and touch it, some deeper, primordial fear whispered that doing so would be a Very Bad Idea. 

“Incredible…” Zag finally whispered in awe. “But how can you wield something so _mighty_?”

“Are we still talkin’ ‘bout my sword or somethin’ else?” Dante asked with a grin, wiggling his eyebrows at the prince. 

His victim grinned and blushed, looking away shyly. 

“Don’t let the size of his sword fool you,” Vergil grumbled with a shake of his head. He smirked at his twin. “Everyone _knows_ it’s the technique that matters, not the size.”

“Are we still speaking of swords?” Zag asked, his eyes flicking from Vergil’s face to the katana at his hip, and up again.

A small smile curled on the corner of Vergil’s lip, his hidden dimple showing as he fought back a grin of his own.

Zag cleared his throat, breaking the growing spell of interest around them. He’d had his fill with Than; the prince of Hell did not need _more_ … just yet. Blushing at that thought, he stepped past them towards the glowing door. “Well then… If there’s nothing else that needs addressed, shall we be going?”

He didn’t see the twins exchange a look and shrugs behind him. “By all means, lead the way,” Vergil purred as they followed after him.

The first chamber was always the easiest; Zag considered it a warm-up if he didn’t spar with Skelly beforehand. But first, there was the boon. The gift of the gods hovered above the ground ahead of him, and Zag almost felt relieved at the emblem of Athena in that glowing light. He started to reach for it out of habit, but hesitated, and glanced over his shoulder at the twins. 

“Would either of you like the first boon?” Zag asked. “Cousin Athena has been kind before in her gifts, and there will be further blessings ahead of us.”

They looked to one another for a moment before facing him once more. Dante gave him an unsure smile. “Um… Zag? What are you talking about?”

The prince gestured to the sphere of light. “Athena’s boon. Would either of you like her blessing? I’m used to travelling alone, but I didn’t want to be rude by not offering.”

“Zag… There’s nothing there.”

His brows furrowed as he looked between Dante and the orb of light. “Are you _quite_ sure?”

Vergil answered quickly. “It may be that the boons are meant for you to begin with, that we can’t see them,” he explained with the patience of a teacher. “The gods themselves would be offended if their gifts, meant for you, were taken by a stranger.”

“I… hadn’t thought of that…” Zag rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. “I do apologize for that. Perhaps along the way, our kin in Olympus will learn of your presence and send you gifts as well.”

Neither of them replied as he turned his attention to the orb of light. “In the name of Hades! Olympus! I accept this message!”

He reached out to touch it, and the power and wisdom of Athena washed over him. Time seemed to stand still around him as her words filled his mind. _“Hail, noble cousin. A troubling rumor has shaken the core of Olympus, and even as I send you this gift, I feel the energy of its presence reverberating back. Be wary in your travels. A dangerous shift in power has occurred.”_

Zag blinked, hardly even thinking about the blessing as it surrounded him and empowered him. The light faded from him, and he stared at his hand that had accepted the gift. _What… what was she talking about? Is Father attempting something again?_ His eyes turned to the twins, who had occupied themselves with looking out over the fields of Tartarus. Vergil noticed his gaze first, meeting Zag’s eyes without hesitation. A cold chill washed down his spine. _Or was she speaking of them?_

The young prince feigned a smile. _Another mystery to be investigated,_ he thought as he gestured for them to follow him towards the next door. As he reached for the orb and shattered it with a thought, Zag’s smile fell. _I will learn the truth. Of Father. Of myself. And of them. Even if it kills me._


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: I am _awful_ at Hades. Like, _really_ bad. Because of this, I may get some details wrong, such as room layout or the rng of chambers. While some small things I can go back and fix, not every mistake I make can be addressed. Continue to correct me if I’m wrong, I don’t mind that! Just know that even if a mistake is addressed, I may not be able to change it because of how it affects the plot or the scene in question. And as always, thank you everyone for your ongoing support by reading, kudo-ing, and commenting!

Vergil’s mind was occupied with a thousand concerns and questions as they fought their way from chamber to chamber. Hell was vast, endless. Infinite. And yet Prince Zagreus talked about breaking out to the Surface as casually as one talked about a particularly rough workday.  _ Yes, there are obstacles and challenges, but just wait! Tomorrow is Saturday! _ He took a heavy breath as the last shade was destroyed, and Zagreus claimed the next gift that appeared. 

It bothered Vergil immensely that they could only see  _ some _ of the gifts and treasures they claimed along their journey. There were times where Zagreus would approach a spot in the room, call out to Olympus, and be done in a moment. Those moments troubled Vergil the most, because after they were done, Zagreus would look back at the twins, as if  _ knowing _ … Knowing what, Vergil wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he disliked the look in Zagreus’ mismatched eyes. Just as Vergil had questions he had yet to ask, so too did the young man leading them. And then there were times where the prince of Hell would claim stacks of gold coins or a small pile of gemstones. Just as he had with the first boon of the gods, Zagreus offered to share, but the twins gently turned him down. 

Travelling through Hell again was its own reward.

After several chambers, they came to one that had nothing in it. It was a room of peace, and quiet, of relaxing respite… Or it would be if it weren’t for the twin statues of a familiar face glaring down at them. Though he hadn’t conversed with the blue-skinned woman from before, Vergil would recognize her face, even in the blur of his dreams. But still, it was a welcome break from the string of battles. So much so that Prince Zagreus had produced a fishing rod and pointed Dante in the direction of an active pool of water that seemed lively with  _ something _ beneath the rippling waters. 

While Dante amused himself with fishing, Vergil stood at a decorative stone railing, overlooking the labyrinth of Tartarus and the Styx, where the red river cut through the emerald green city like a wound. _ We must be getting closer, _ Vergil thought, both hands resting on the pommel of  _ Yamato _ . The cool metal felt good against his palm, even through his gloves.  _ For us to be able to overlook Tartarus like this… But then again, this is Hell. Nothing can be trusted, save for what one can feel in their own hands… _ He glanced at Zagreus as the prince came to stand at his elbow, the sound of his fiery steps alerting Vergil to his approach.  _ And even then… _

“Pardon me for intruding on your thoughts,” Zagreus apologized as a greeting, “but… are you alright? You seem… sad.”

Vergil chuffed quietly. “You’re very perceptive, Prince Zagreus.”

“Hey now… Don’t feel the need to get formal on me like everyone else. To you and Dante, I am only Zagreus.”

“Very well then, Zagreus. Yes, I am… sad.” The elder twin sighed, his eyes turning to the emerald city once more. “No matter how many times I enter or leave Hell, I always find a new place within its infinite realm that I’ve not been before.”

“If I may ask, how many times have you ventured to Hell?”

“This is my second journey into and out of Hell,” Vergil confessed. “And yet each time I fall… I learn new things about this realm… The first time I entered, I leapt willingly into the abyss. I followed the river Styx from between worlds and into an endless, bloody battlefield, ruled over by a powerful demon. Even then, I was surprised by what I found. When I was a boy, Father would tell us stories of the grand courts of the underworld. Of the King of Hell, and the gauntlet one would have to go through in order to ascend to the throne. He would speak of the lavish masquerades, of the banquets of human flesh and fountains of human blood to feast upon, of the intrigue and social game one went through, all in the name of power. I suppose it was his expectation that Dante or I would someday ascend that throne he had emptied thousands of years ago, when he betrayed the Dark Emperor Mundus.”

Zagreus looked confused. “I don’t understand… Zeus told you of these things?”

He’d almost forgotten about Dante’s lie. Vergil bit back a growl of annoyance. 

Before he could supply an answer, though, Zagreus asked him, “How did you escape the first time? From the battlefield and the demon?”

The elder twin chuffed, bowing his head and closing his eyes. Perhaps if the young prince couldn’t look into his soul, the shame wouldn’t be so easily seen. “Bold of you to assume I escaped in the first place,” Vergil mumbled under his breath. He shook his head, turning his steel blue eyes to Zagreus.  _ Let the prince see what I am.  _ “I didn’t escape. I didn’t defeat the demon that ruled over that eternal battlefield. He defeated me.  _ Crushed _ me, body, mind, and soul, until I was unable to resist him. And like a master of strings, he manipulated me. Used me as a puppet for his will. I did not escape Hell that first time, young prince. I was set free to do his dark bidding.”

As expected, Vergil could see the range of emotions under the prince’s mismatched eyes like shadows of leaves dancing in the wind. Pity, anger, admiration… He didn’t care what the prince felt, and yet at the same time, Vergil found himself hurting under the prince’s steady gaze. The harder, the longer Zagreus stared at him, the more Vergil feared what he’d see. He turned his own eyes away at last, wondering if Eva’s saying that  _ “eyes are the windows to one’s soul” _ was true after all. 

In the shadowy corner of his vision, Vergil saw Zagreus step closer. He half wished his hands were at his side, and that if they were, perhaps the prince would touch their hands together, brush their fingers together. Vergil gripped  _ Yamato _ ’s pommel and his own hand a little harder. When that wasn’t punishment enough for such thoughts, he bit his tongue instead. 

“Tell me more,” Zagreus said quickly, quietly, as if sensing somehow that Vergil was bringing harm to himself. “Tell me more about your adventures through Hell. They’re so…  _ different _ … from what I know.”

He chuffed once more, but felt no reason  _ not _ to indulge the prince beside him.  _ If nothing else, this may be the only chance to tell him these stories, _ Vergil thought as he returned his gaze to Tartarus. He sighed, shaking his head.  _ No… We will return, I know it… Or at the very least,  _ **_I_ ** _ will return… _

“The first time I fell to Hell, I fell alone. But this time… When Dante leapt ahead of me, I thought that I wouldn’t make it to Hell at all, that my heart would carry me away as soon as my feet left solid ground.”  _ Why do I feel such ease to speak of these things to him? What has come over me? _ “I had done it to protect him… all those years ago. I had kept him out of Hell for fear that he would fall with me in battle, and that both of us would succumb to that demon. But we are older now. Stronger. I didn’t feel fear when I descended after him, when we destroyed the Qliphoth together. When we realized we were trapped in Hell together, I felt more…  _ joy _ than I had in all my life. We were together, at last. Even if the nightmarish hellscape we’d entered was a writhing mass of flesh and blood, or a labyrinth of bones meant to ensnare the weak, to us… it was paradise.”

“You love him, don’t you?” Zagreus asked, the smile on his face making him all the more beautiful. “Not just as brothers, but as…  _ more _ .”

The invisible hand of nervousness clutched Vergil’s throat.  _ What would Prince Zagreus do if he knew the truth?  _ Vergil wondered.  _ Would he judge us? Abandon us to fend for ourselves as divine punishment? _

He was startled back to the moment by a nudging of shoulder to shoulder. Vergil blinked in surprise at Zagreus, a knowing grin on his lips. “Don’t pretend that I won’t understand,” Zagreus confessed in a whisper. “Which among our complicated family has not lain with their kin, knowingly or not?”

Vergil blushed at the reminder.  _ How many stories of Ancient Greece did brother love brother, sister love sister, and siblings marry? _ He sighed and nodded. “Yes… You perceive correctly that Dante and I are… bonded in a way that I have not shared with many. There is only one other that I’ve loved as much as I love him,  _ gave _ myself to physically and emotionally as I have with him. It is…” He shook his head. “You’ll have to forgive my hesitance to speak of these things. Where we are from, it is taboo.”

“Not here,” Zagreus was almost too quick to assure him. Vergil chanced a glance at him and saw that the laureled man was gazing out over Tartarus as well. “Here, such deeds are not looked on with shame or disgust.” He smiled at Vergil. “I am also in love with someone I once thought forbidden. We were raised alongside one another, by the woman I had always thought was my mother.” His smile fell as he crossed his arms on the stone railing, leaning on it. “I felt… such a piercing betrayal in my heart when I realized I’d been lied to all my life… but then I had a moment of clarity. The love that I’d grown for Thanatos… I had once thought it forbidden too…” He shook his head, his smile returning as he looked at Vergil. “Mortal rules shouldn’t restrain who we dare to love, when we truly will spend an eternity alongside that person.”

“Perhaps…” Vergil sighed. 

“Of course…” Zagreus made a face. “Father doesn’t approve. Then again, I don’t think he’d approve of  _ any _ person that  _ I _ chose, demi-god or mortal. I dread to imagine what sort of foul goddess he might try to manipulate into being my future queen…”

“That doesn’t mean that you must give up your love.” Vergil gave him a small smirk. “Only that your lover reigns over your heart while your unfortunate betrothed reigns over only your name.”

Zag smiled at that.

The quiet that settled between them was a comfortable one, and if they were in a better place, Vergil wouldn’t have minded the warmth of closer contact with Zagreus. He let his gaze linger on the prince, admiring the curves of his body and the way his clothes hung from his shoulder. The demon found himself wondering how soft or rough Zagreus’s skin was, or his hair, or whether or not the flames of his feet would burn to the touch or if they were just for show. 

“Strange… That Hell would contain so many beautiful things.” 

“Someday, you’ll have to show me those banquet halls of demonic courts and the endless battlefields.”

“Not I, no,” Vergil replied quickly. “It would be more… fitting if Nero were to show you.”

“Nero?” Zagreus asked, his gemstone eyes sparkling in new interest.

Before Vergil could reply, there was a commotion on the other side of the room. Loud splashing and Dante’s exclamation of excitement halted any further conversation, and Zagreus ran to him to assist. Together, they pulled a massive abomination of a fish from the waters. Vergil chuffed to himself, watching them, but his smile faded quickly.

_ The throne of Hell remains unoccupied… or at least it had last I knew, _ he mused as the other two examined their scaled catch.  _ If Lord Hades himself doesn’t sit upon it… then perhaps there is a path of power still remaining… _


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note: Alright, y’all. Just in case you missed the “Spoilers” tag, I just wanted to give you a heads-up. From this point forward, there’s going to be some serious Hades spoilers dropped. If you want to avoid spoilers, stop reading! Seriously! Close the fic and come back when you’ve either had the game spoiled for you already or you’ve beaten the main story/epilogue. That being said, those of you who do know the spoilers, I learned what I know from reading articles and such because I’m that bad at Hades myself. So if I get something wrong… I’unno, we’ll figure something out…

Prolong the inevitable as long as he might, but Zag knew they _had_ to go through that chamber at some point. The knucklehead fish stored safely in a zero dimension where it wouldn’t rot, the prince of the underworld faced those twin statues of Megaera, First of the Furies. He _loathed_ this battle, and dreaded it each time he had to claw his way to the surface. Of all this travels and gifts, he wished there was one where he could have the power to skip Meg, to just ignore her and her rage and despair. 

No matter how many times she told Zag that she enjoyed whipping him, that it was her sacred duty to send him back to the House, Zagreus knew that it hurt her as much as it hurt him. Pride wouldn't let her go easy on him; pride wouldn’t let her apologize for the torture she put him through. 

Once upon a time, her kiss had been soft.

Now she could hardly stand to look at him, let alone be in his presence when he returned to the House, regardless of means. His gaze fell away from the statues to the orb and the door beyond. _How could I ever make it up to you, Meg?_ Zag wondered briefly. _How could I ever make you understand? Why I must do this… Everyone in the House knows I’ll come back. Why go through this charade?_

He sighed heavily and reached for the orb blocking the way out, shattering it with a thought and opening the path to the next room. 

“This one… always hurts…” Zag warned them.

“Bring it on,” Dante replied with a grin, punching a fist into his hand. He cracked his neck side to side. “I’ve been gettin’ tired of these pipsqueaks. Let’s get to a _real_ fight.”

Vergil chuffed and bonked his brother gently with _Yamato_. “Be careful what you wish for, dear brother. Our trials of Hell have only just begun.”

Grinning, Zag led the way into the next room. A few steps in, he stopped short. There was no turning back, however. The way behind them was barred closed, leaving only the path ahead, behind the _three_ furies.

Meg was standing in the center of the room, where she _should_ be. But she was flanked by her sisters, where they _shouldn’t_ be.

“I don’t remember signing the Pact of Punishment before leaving…” Zag mumbled to himself. He raised his voice to address his ex. “Meg. This isn’t like you, bringing your sisters along to fight your fights.”

“It seemed only fair,” she purred in return, stretching her wing. “You’re bringing reinforcements, and I’ve brought mine.”

“They aren’t reinforcements. They’re guests. I can understand you trying to stop _me_ , but they don’t belong here.”

“Don’t be so naïve, Zagreus.” Her eyes narrowed on him. “There are no guests to the Underworld. Everyone who comes here or to the House of Hades is meant to be there. Everyone who comes here… _stays_ here.”

Zag dashed ahead to meet Meg, swinging his sword at her. His blade passed through her soft flesh easily, and he dashed away before she could retaliate. Meg didn’t seem to even notice he’d hit her; she never did. It wouldn’t be until later in their battle, after what felt like hours of clashing sword into flesh or racing away from the range of her whip, that she would show any sign of stopping. He chanced a glance to the other two to see how they were faring against the other Furies. 

Vergil moved so quickly that if Zag blinked, he’d lose track of the blue twin as he flashed out of the way of Tisiphone’s bombardments. Much like her sister, she didn’t seem to feel the flurry of retaliation slices from Vergil’s sword. Dante and Alecto shared the same grin, as if they had _finally_ both found a worthy opponent. Her cursed body absorbed his bullets without a flinch as the pair bounced around the room.

A flash of purple crossed Zag’s sight, and he dodged out of the way before the rest of Meg’s attack could fully hit him. Staying out of Meg’s way while also attacking her was a challenge before, but now dodging the crossfire of her sisters and his allies made the task more monumental. Zag gave his all into the fight, but even he couldn’t dodge all of her attacks. Her whip sliced through him, the pain a searing jolt through his body.

“You’re bleeding, Zagreus,” he heard her voice somewhere in the blur of pain, sweat, and determination. 

He wiped a drop of blood from his chin as he grinned. “So are you,” Zag growled as he leapt up and brought his sword down on her.

Suddenly Meg went still, even after his blade connected and sliced through her from shoulder to groin to floor. Her body pieced itself back together in the wake of his blade, but when she didn’t attack back, Zag paused. Her eyes were wide in a terror he’d never seen before, and then he _felt it_.

A pulse of power unlike anything he’d ever felt before. 

Even Alecto’s grin turned into a look of fear as a red light surrounded Dante. In a burst of light and energy, he transformed into a massive _monster_. He looked as if he were made from the molten magma of Asphodel, his skin covered in an armor of obsidian and lava stone. Four wings unfurled, each pulsing with light in mesmerizing, swirling patterns. Even his giant sword transformed, opening up like a grinning monster to reveal a hidden blade in the center, made from the same white-hot magma as his heart. He had no eyes, only the molten glow of his powerful core.

“Blood and darkness…” Meg whispered, in mixed fear and awe. “Zagreus, who _are_ these allies of yours?”

“I… I don’t know…” Zag admitted, watching as Alecto screamed in fury and terror as their battle resumed.

His attention turned to Tisiphone as she screamed as well, feeling a second pulse of power. Just as Dante transformed, so did Vergil. If Dante was the fiery core of the world, then Vergil was the ice from which all winter was born. Even Demeter’s frozen despair seemed warm in comparison. Like his twin, Vergil’s four wings glowed in swirling patterns of blue and white, and his long tail whipped with the same slicing accuracy as his swords and Tisiphone’s whip. His horns were short, either cut off by mistake or by purpose, and his scaled armor seemed impenetrable. His movements were even faster than before, flashing in and out of existence long enough to slice and slash at the Tormentor of Murderers. 

“He’s going to kill her!” Meg screamed, though Zag wasn’t sure which one she was worried about more.

He had to grab her and hold her back. “They’ll be fine, Meg,” Zag tried to assure her, though he didn’t believe it himself. “The Furies are immortal. Eternal. Even I can’t permanently destroy you, or them…”

“You don’t _know_ that! Let me go! Zagerus, _please!_ ”

Zag let go of her against his better judgement. _What can she do that her sisters can’t?_ He felt rooted in place, his legs heavier than any boulder or mountain or shackle, unable to do anything but watch. Watch as the two he dared called guests literally _tore_ through the Furies as if they were nothing more than common shades. Zag could do nothing but watch as Vergil’s faster-than-light slicing tore Tisiphone into pieces before she could pull herself together. She let out a last moan of _“Mur… der… er…”_ before she crumbled into dust. 

His heart stopped.

_Is she dead?_ Zag wondered, strength leaving his legs. He crumpled to the floor. _Is she really gone forever?_

His eyes caught the flurry of movement as Dante battled both Meg and Alecto now. Despite his bulk, he was able to keep up with them, parrying their hits and returning them with heavy chops from his sword. Alecto screamed as his sword split her in half, and Meg’s own cry filled the air as she knelt and caught half of her sister. The Tormentor of Passions, like her sister, crumbled to dust in Meg’s arms.

“Stop…” Zag finally found the strength to whisper. “Stop!” It took all of his strength, all of his will to gather the breath and the word in his chest, shouting it as Dante raised his sword to Meg. “ _STOP!”_

Dante’s sword froze mid-swing. Only a breath separated his blade and Meg’s golden diadem. Zag pushed himself up to his feet, though the room stretched out as he tried to run to them. Dante pulled his sword back to rest against his shoulder, and his feet touched the ground. The monster faded away like flame on the corner of papyrus, revealing the man beneath. He offered a hand to Meg to help her stand, but she slapped the gesture away. As Zag got closer, he realized there were tears on her cheeks.

“Stay away from me…” Meg snarled at Dante. “You… _monster!_ ”

“Hey, look who’s calling the kettle black here,” Dante argued with a shrug. Vergil returned to his human shape beside his twin. “As pretty as your face is, you ain’t no angel either, darling. We’re all monsters here.”

She snarled and started for him, but Zag held her back. To his surprise, she submitted to his gentle hold. “That’s not the same, you _bastard_ … And you know it!” Meg glanced over her shoulder at the door. “The exit is still sealed… The challenge of the chamber hasn’t been defeated yet.”

“Meg…”

Her hand rested on Zag’s, giving him a gentle squeeze. “You do it, Zag…” She chuffed as she pushed him away from her. “Maybe I’ll see my sisters along the way.”

“They’re not gone,” he tried to assure her, summoning the Stygian Blade to his hand. Zag swallowed hard and tried to smile. “See you when I get home…”

Meg chuffed and closed her eyes, bracing herself for the blow. Her head came off in one clean swipe, and her body melted into blood. The red liquid seeped between the tiles to return to the river Styx, which would take her home. The orb in the doorway flashed with light, but Zag didn’t see it. The gift of Darkness waited for him in the center of the room, but he didn’t reach for it. The path was open, but he didn’t take it.

Behind him, Dante cleared his throat. “I um… I’m sorry ‘bout your friend…”

“Why does everyone _insist_ on lying to me…” Zag mumbled quietly.

“What?”

The monster disguised as a man flinched back as the tip of Zag’s blade was suddenly pointed at his nose. “My father… Nyx… _everyone_ in the bloody household has lied to me… And now you two have as well… No son of Zeus would wield the power that you do. Yours is something darker, something that Hades would bestow himself. Who are you? _What_ are you? And I swear in the name of my household, if you lie to me again, I’ll slice you where it won’t grow back. Do I make myself clear?”

“We’re complicated,” Vergil replied, stepping past them for the door. 

“That _doesn’t_ answer my question,” Zag hissed, blade still pointed at Dante. His palm itched as a bloodstone poked out from under his skin, ready to cast onto Vergil if the other twin so much as _breathed_ wrong. 

“It’s the only answer you require, prince.”

Fury blinded him. _Sick_ and _tired_ of everyone dancing around the topic, being so _superior_ in their knowledge that they refused to share, Zag flung the cast at Vergil and thrust his sword toward Dante. He didn’t see what happened to his cast, but he heard the crystal make contact with metal and then the floor as it was knocked aside. Dante easily side-stepped his thrust, and just as Zag could hear Achilles reminding him to never strike in anger, a hard elbow struck him in the back of his neck. 

He didn’t make a sound as he collapsed onto the floor. A heavy weight went onto his back, and as Zag flailed to get up, he realized that Dante was sitting on him.

“Get off me!” 

“Nuh-uh. Not until you calm your ass down.”

Zag shouted, mustering enough strength to shove Dante off and stagger to his feet. 

“Get out of here!”

“Yeah, we’re _trying_.”

He shook his head. “Get out of my _sight_!” He pointed at the door. “Go and do _not_ look back! If you cannot trust me with the truth, then I refuse to trust you in return. Make your choice now!”

The twins looked at one another before exchanging shrugs. Vergil took several steps away and reached for the handle of _Yamato._ Zag braced himself for the attack, but it didn’t come. Instead, Vergil drew the blade and made two slices into the air. The prince’s eyes went wide as he saw another _world_ in that place where Vergil’s sword had cut.

Dante gave him a slow clap as he joined Vergil’s side. “You mean to say you've been able to do that this entire time?”

In lieu of an answer, Vergil took a stumbling step forward.

“Woah! Okay! I take it back!” Dante caught him and supported his twin. He looked back at Zag to give him a grin. “You want a fast trip to the surface? Or do you prefer the slow and painful way?”

His eyes narrowed at them. “I don’t trust you.”

Dante nodded. “Fair enough. See you ‘round, kid.”

The rip between worlds opened further as they went through it. As soon as the twins were on the other side, it closed with a flash behind them. Zag went to that spot and reached for it, feeling nothing but air. No trace, no fabric, not even a sliver of power remained. 

_As if they were never here,_ he thought with furrowed brows. _But they were… And if they can be here once, they can come again._

With a heavy sigh, Zag collected the gift of Darkness, approached the orb in the doorway, and shattered it. The walk through Asphodel and Elysium would give him all the time he wanted to think.


	10. Chapter 10

Dante stopped in his tracks, looking around. He could smell the sea before he saw it, and the sky was a rose gold with dawn’s light. This wasn’t his dark and gritty city that he knew and loved. This was verdant fields, emerald trees, and marble pillars. Further down a scattered, mossy cobblestone path was a cottage that made Dante’s heart ache. It looked so much like their childhood home that he almost whined at the sight of it. But the woman tending to her garden was  _ not _ their mother. As blonde and beautiful in age as she was, this was a stranger that looked up from her work at them.

“Vergil, where did you bring us?” Dante quietly asked as the woman stood and planted both fists on her hips. 

He didn’t get to answer. Instead, the woman did. “Who are you?” Her green eyes flicked to Vergil, still half-collapsed against Dante. “Is… is he unwell?”

The younger twin chuckled weakly. “Just needs a bit of sunshine and fresh air,” he replied with a smile. Dante nodded pointedly to a shady spot under the vine-covered pillars. “Mind if we have a sit by your stream for a while?”

“Help yourself,” she answered with a shrug, her face still puzzled. “I have some tea warming up for when my son arrives… Would you like some?”

“Your son?” Dante’s eyes went wide as he did the quickest math in his life.  _ Shit _ . “Your son um… His name wouldn’t happen to be Zagreus, would it?”

Her face lit up brighter than the morning sun. She took a tentative step forward. “You… You know my son? You know my Zagreus?”

“We’ve uh… we’ve met, yeah.”

“Tell me about him! Please, I have so much to ask you…”

“Ma’am, I’m being crushed by the weight of my nearly-unconscious brother…”

“O-Oh! Yes! I’m sorry!” She used a hand to lift her toga so she wouldn’t trip on it as she rushed to them. The woman slid Vergil’s arm over her shoulders and took his weight from Dante’s. Despite her feminine figure, she seemed capable of carrying heavier weights than Vergil. She smiled sweetly at Dante. “Do come inside and have some tea, something to eat. I imagine if you’ve been battling your way out of the Underworld, you’ve not had anything to eat for quite a while yet.” 

“Yeah, well… Hear one myth and it fu- erm… messes with your mind on what to do when you’re dragged under, you know?”

“Ha! Is  _ that _ the story going around down there now? That I was held prisoner against my will because I ate something? Tell me, what fruit is it this time?”

Dante nearly dropped his brother. “Erm… what?”

“Pomegranate…” Vergil mumbled between them. “Three pomegranate seeds, and you were condemned to six months of the year in the Underworld, Lady Persephone.”

She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Oh, blood and  _ darkness _ …” Persephone cursed under her breath. “I am so  _ sick _ of hearing of these malicious  _ lies _ being spread around to smear the name of Lord Hades… Condemned! The nerve of it all… Where do they think those pomegranates  _ came _ from in the first place?! Do they think that Hades grew them  _ himself _ ?” The woman hip-checked the door to her cottage open and helped Vergil onto a plain yet comfortable settee. She laid him along its length and propped his head up on a pillow. She even laid his hands on his stomach and gave them a gentle pat. “There we are. Rest as long as you need.” She sighed and brushed his silver bangs from his forehead. Her vibrant emerald eyes flicked to Dante. “You, outside! Shoo! We can’t expect him to rest if we’ll be making a fuss in here.”

He found himself grinning a little as she chased him out, leaving the cottage door ajar as they entered the sunlight once more. Dante stretched, standing on his tip-toes to feel it through his whole body. As nice as the Underworld was, it was  _ good _ to be back on the topside. He sighed as he relaxed, jumping a little as Persephone grasped his arm and led him to a little table already prepared with two chairs. Dante didn’t struggle, knowing better than to argue with a woman who had made up her mind, and plopped into one of the chairs when she released his arm.

“Now then,” she stated decidedly as she settled into the other chair. She clapped the work from her hands and leaned back into the chair. Her eyes ran over him, assessing him. “Tell me a story, young man.”

Dante coughed nervously, finding her suddenly difficult to look at. “Um… which one?”

“Surprise me.”

“Am… Am I in trouble, ma’am?”

Persephone raised an eyebrow at him. “Do you  _ think _ you are?”

“I dunno… You’re…” Dante sighed, smiling weakly at his clasped hands in his lap. “You’re actin’ kinda the way Mom did… when she found a broken vase, knew who did it, and wanted to see which of us confessed to it first ‘n’ which of us had the wrong story…” He shrugged. “Feels like you’re pissed off at me for doin’ somethin’ I didn’t know was wrong.”

She chuffed at him, crossing her arms over her chest. “Perhaps I am. And perhaps you are. I suppose it all depends on which story you tell me first.”

“Zag’s…” He paused as she narrowed her eyes at him. “Zagreus is um… he’s mad at us right now… which is why he didn’t come with us.”

Dante chanced a glance up at her, and when she only lifted an eyebrow at him, he looked away guiltily and continued. He spilled out everything to her, from the rise of the Qliphoth to the twins’ fall into Hell, from the lie told in panic to the truth of their birth, from the first meeting with Zagreus to the last time he saw the prince of the Underworld. It was a tactic he knew well, had used himself on suspects and victims alike to get information out of them, and he hated that her silent stare worked on him as much as it did on others. He was out of breath by the time he finished, his gasps of breath filling the silence between them. Fidgeting with his fingers and the gloves he wore, he wished she’d say something,  _ anything _ , to take the weight off of his shoulders.

“Well then…” Persephone sighed. “That’s quite a lot to go through… and I can understand why Zagreus would be upset. Between the scheming and lies of his father and the gods of Olympus, I can imagine he’s quite tired of being lied to. Especially by someone he might consider an ally.”

“I wasn’t…” Dante sighed, sinking in his chair. “I wasn’t  _ meanin’ _ to piss him off. I just figured… he wouldn’t help us if he knew we were demons. We didn’t know off the bat where exactly our ‘kind’ fit in with the hierarchy, and the  _ last _ thing we wanted was to draw attention to ourselves if we’re not supposed to be there.”

“A fair assumption, considering our daemons and daimons are much much different kinds of spirits than you and your brother,” she mumbled, toying with her braid in thought. “Our demons are nothing more than ill thoughts and forces of misfortune with no name or face. To the elder powers of Hell and it’s guardians, you and Vergil are more akin to pests or lower shades than nobles.” The corner of her lip curled into a small smile. “I can see why Zagreus would consider you a monster. What we call monsters may very well be considered demons in your part of the world.” 

“I heard Verge ‘n’ Zagreus talkin’ about different parts of Hell. And when we fell from the Surface, we landed in a place waaay different from the version of Hell we went through to get back up here. Growin’ up, Styx was a band, and the river between worlds was just a myth…” Dante shrugged. “Does that make sense to you? Is that why we’re so different?”

“That could be,” Persephone mumbled with a nod. “The Underworld is endless… It would make sense that there are kingdoms cut out of it that different races would rise from.” 

“So then… how did we, demons from a different kingdom, come to find ourselves at the House of Hades?”

“That, I fear, is a question I don’t know the answer to. Nor can I imagine any of the gods of Olympus or of the Underworld knowing the answer themselves.” 

“No one knows?”

Persephone sighed heavily. “There is one… who  _ may _ know… but whether or not they would be willing to give a straight answer is another matter…”

“Who are they?” Dante asked, sitting up in his seat. “How do we find them?”

Her emerald eyes filled with a cold seriousness. Not the stern look of an annoyed mother, but of a general preparing to give her legion dire news. “The one you seek dwells in a darkness deeper than the Underworld. In order to find them, you will need to descend once more, and then descend further. When you see the gateway, you will know it. Because it will fill you with a fear beyond words, a curiosity that can never be quenched, and a respect that comes from knowing the one to whom you are speaking is older than time and the cosmos itself.”

Dante sat back in his seat, considering the runaway queen before him.  _ Go deeper than Hell… _ He mused.  _ Didn’t know there was something deeper… unless… _ The half-blood shivered.  _ Oh boy… I hope she doesn’t mean… Fuck, getting to them is goin’ to be an ass and a half… especially if I want to…  _

His thoughts were interrupted as he looked up past her to Vergil standing in the doorway. The younger smiled at his twin. “How yuh feelin’?”

“Stable,” Vergil grumbled as he shielded his eyes with a hand. “Have you called for a ride home yet?”

“Oh shit!” Dante nearly stumbled out of his seat, grabbing his phone. “Look at that! Full signal!” He stood and walked away, dialing the number out of muscle memory rather than mental memory.

Vergil claimed the newly unoccupied seat. 

Persephone tilted her head at him, a small smile on her face. “How did you know?”

“ _ Nani _ ?”

“How did you know who I was?”

“My father was… dedicated to Ancient Greek mythology. Specifically the old sagas and epics, the poems that took days to recite. Of course, wanting to be the favored son, I studied as religiously as he taught, but…” Vergil shook his head, his gaze drifting over her comfortable homestead. “Reading of the gods of Olympus is one thing… meeting them is another. So much is  _ different _ from what I’ve read. And even the scholars disagree on the telling and accuracy of myths.” He offered her a shy smile. “Such as yours for example.”

Her smile grew, blooming like a flower in the sunlight. She flicked her gaze to Dante as the younger twin came quietly up behind his brother. A tender hand went to Vergil’s shoulder, giving him a gentle squeeze.

“It’s a bit of a walk to the nearest village, but we can get a ride from there to Larissa and fly home,” Dante told his twin. 

Persephone’s smile fell a little. “You’re leaving so soon?”

“Considerin’ how well went got along before?” Dante shook his head, grinning a little. “It’d probably be best if we left before he got here. Don’t want to sour a happy reunion with us bein’ here ‘n’ all.”

“I see…”

“But if you want…” Dante chewed on his lower lip in thought then, sighed.  _ Fuck it _ . “You can tell him we’re sorry for lyin’ to him. That we…  _ I _ only did it to protect Verge ‘n’ me from makin’ a mess of things back at the house. And if he’s ever willin’… I’d be more than happy to visit him again…” He grinned a little. “Even if it’s just to spar with him ‘n’ them fancy weapons he’s got.”

She chuffed at that, waving to them as they walked away from her homestead and through the trees. Finding the road wasn’t difficult, and it was only after they’d left her sacred, enchanted grove that Vergil felt comfortable enough to speak. Even then, his voice was a secretive whisper.

“Did you learn anything?”

Dante shook his head. “Not a whole hella lot, no… You?”

“Yes.”

“Oh? And what’ve you found out that I didn’t?”

“That something is very wrong…” 

“With what? The myths?”

“Everything.”


	11. Chapter 11

The snows at the edge between worlds felt gloriously good against his skin as Zag followed the coast to Persephone’s cottage. He didn’t have long, but he was never sure just  _ how _ long. Zag didn’t want to risk shortening his stay by running to greet her. He took his time, enjoying the sights and sounds while he could. The strange, trilling music coming from the trees, the smell of flowers he couldn’t even begin to name, the rainbow of blooms and plants growing alongside the scattered, overgrown cobblestone path. 

And then there was Persephone.

Zag wanted to weep every time he saw her. He felt it in his throat, in his chest, that mixed joy and despair at the sight of her. She was standing at her little garden table, wiping something off of it with the corner of her green sash. He could hear her humming over the din of nature around them, and she looked so perfectly at peace that he almost felt guilty for disturbing it with his presence.

Almost.

He had questions that he needed answered, and she was the first person that came to mind to ask. Well…  _ Nyx _ was the first person that came to mind, but he wasn’t on his way to see her just yet. He’d ask her as soon as he got home. And Achilles. His mentor in combat wasn’t the sort of man to stutter or slur his words. He hadn’t said… whatever nonsense Dante had made up. Zag was so frustrated and tired he couldn’t remember the exact wording or phrase. The weariness was the first sign. 

She looked up from her work and saw him. “Zagreus!” Persephone caught him as he stumbled forward. As she slung half his weight over her shoulder, his brows furrowed. There was a cologne on her that was  _ different _ … yet familiar…

“Damn it…” Zag cussed as he was dropped into a chair. “They beat me here… How the Hell did they beat me here?”

“Don’t be so hard on yourself, Zagreus… They used a different means of getting to the surface than you could ever achieve…” Persephone dashed back inside for a moment and came back with a tray of tea and a plate of honey and sesame bars sparkled with dried berries. She poured him a cup and served him one of the bars. “The power used to cross between the Underworld and Surface seemed to drain one of those men of his strength completely. Of course, if I had known I’d be visited by other guests, I would have prepared a better tea service…”

He laughed weakly, shaking his head. “Mother, your kindness is refreshment enough for any visitor… and more than those two deserved…”

“Oh Zagreus…” Persephone moved her chair closer to him. He closed his eyes and went limp, letting her pull him into her shoulder. She smelled like sunlight, like the color yellow and of something sweet and tangy. “Your anger for your father is clouding your judgement of others.”

“They could have hurt you, Mother… and I wouldn’t be here to defend you.”

“Stop it! I am perfectly capable of defending myself should I need it.” He felt her fingers comb through his hair, brushing his laurels aside to pluck the tangles from his dark hair. Zag hated his hair. He hated his dark hair and his red right eye. He wished his hair was blond, like hers. He wished his eyes matched, were the same emerald green as hers. He wished he could be more like her,  _ of _ her, and hated that he was half Hades. Her chest vibrated against his shoulder as she hummed, rocking him back and forth. “My sweet Zagreus… I’ve never needed rescuing before, my little prince. Not from Olympus, not from my mother, and especially not from your father… I can handle two little drakonic hatchlings without even looking up from my weeding.”

“Who were they?” Zag asked, since they were on the topic. He could feel his anger at their deception fading away to interest and inevitable curiosity. “I heard them say their names to Hypnos as I came out of the Styx, but… I’m not even sure I believe  _ that  _ anymore…”

“I can’t say I know  _ who _ they were, but I have a suspicion of  _ what _ they are.”

“Not Olympians.”

Persephone chuckled to herself. “No, not Olympians. Far from it. Stories of the demons from other parts of the Underworld have been told on the base of the mountain, but rarely reach its peak.”

“Demons…”

“Monsters, my little prince. Monsters similar to our gorgons, our dragons, our chimera…”

Zag shook his head against her. “They don’t  _ look _ like anything I’ve seen before…”

“You’ve not seen a mortal man before?” Persephone teased.

He chuffed, smiling. “I mean… when they transform… they look…” His eyes opened, looking at the dancing shadows of the leaves rippling on the grass like water. Briefly his vision blurred as his mind spun and the weight of his body sunk deeper into her arms. 

“Don’t strain yourself, Zagreus… If you fight it, you’ll only lose your strength faster…”

“I fought so hard…” Tears burned his eyes. “Every time I come here… I fight so hard… for so long… Why can’t I stay longer? For every moment I spend fighting… why can’t I stay here for that same amount of time? It’s not…” He swallowed hard, his throat closing. His voice was hardly a squeak. “It’s not  _ fair _ …”

“Shush! No more talk… For as long as we can, let’s just enjoy one another’s presence…”

Zag nodded, closing his eyes as he settled against her. 

The tea on the table grew cold in its cups, forgotten. Flies dared to land on the sweet sesame bars, and neither person swatted them away. Atlas, for just a moment, felt as if he had paused in his eternal journey of carrying the universe on his shoulder, stopping for a breath as time stood still. 

_ Lemons, _ Zag thought.  _ She smells like lemons. _

“He wanted to apologize to you, Zagreus.”

In that moment of peace, he had almost nodded off. Cursing Hypnos, Zag lifted his head from her shoulder. “Hm? Who?”

“The daemon in red. He wanted to apologize for lying to you. For hurting you.”

“Why couldn’t he say it to my face?”

“Would you have listened?”

Zag huffed in minute annoyance.

Persephone reached out her arm and held her palm up. Zag watched in quiet fascination as an orb of light appeared, hovering just over her hand. She brought it closer to his face for him to see into it. The light faded until an image appeared inside the bubble. He lifted his head as he realized it was the man in red. 

Dante.

_ “But if you want… _ ” His voice was muddled, as if far away. He chewed on his lip nervously before speaking again.  _ “You can tell him we’re sorry for lyin’ to him. That we…  _ I _ only did it to protect Verge ‘n’ me from makin’ a mess of things back at the house. And if he’s ever willin’… I’d be more than happy to visit him again… _ ” A grin grew on Dante’s face. The sight of it made Zag smile and blush a little.  _ “Even if it’s just to spar with him ‘n’ them fancy weapons he’s got.” _

The laureled godling chuffed through his nose, not having the strength to laugh any harder at that. “Nice memory you have there, Mother…”

“Would you like it for yourself, Zagreus?”

“I’d rather have a different one… One of your life here on the surface… A sunny day in the garden, or watching you write in your journal about the plants you keep…”

“Why not both?” 

Persephone touched the orb of light to Zag’s forehead, and he closed his eyes. He watched the memory in his mind again, the sound of Dante’s voice, the sincerity of his smile as real as if Zag had been standing there himself to see it. She created another memory and gave it to him. 

Without warning, he was standing by her side in her little cottage. It was just what he wanted. Sunlight filtered in and motes of dust danced in the light as it illuminated her counter. Persephone hummed as she worked, crushing dried herbs with a mortar and pestle. The rest of the interior was a haze; her focus was on her work, and Zag couldn’t see beyond what she saw. She stopped to write something down in a journal, her fingers stained with a dusting of the powder. 

Zag smiled at the memory, holding onto it for as long as he could, even as he melted in Persephone’s arms and returned to the river Styx.


	12. Chapter 12

Zag gasped for breath as he surfaced from the Pool of Styx. He didn’t grumble in the annoyance of defeat or shake the dripping blood from his hair or clothes as he stepped out onto the mosaic hallway tile. As hesitant as he had been to leave Persephone, there were things he could only learn from the House of Hades. He squinted at the empty desk and the even emptier space beside it. Cerberus and his father were always missing after his visits to the surface. Zag never asked or wondered why; to him, it was just the way of things. He was glad for their absence for once, though.

It meant he could ask questions without his father reprimanding his curiosity. 

_But where do I even start?_ Zag asked himself as he felt the last drops of Styx dry from his skin and clothes. He paused at the sight of Hypnos, still asleep on the job, and smiled to himself. _Who else but the keeper of the great checklist himself?_ The prince of the Underworld cleared his throat, and when that didn’t wake Hypnos, he moved as slowly and quietly as he could to not startle the floating godling awake. When he was close enough, Zag smiled and tilted his head at Sleep Incarnate.

On the one hand, he could be an asshole.

On the other hand…

He reached to Hypnos and ran his fingers through the soft, curly hair. “Hypnooos…” Zag said his name quietly. “C’mon buddy, you can sleep after we’re done talking.”

Hypnos whined quietly, stirring at the gentle pets. Zag pulled his hand away as Hypnos yawned and stretched, the prince catching the comforter-cape as it fell from the floating godling’s shoulders. 

“Did I catch you in the middle of a good dream?” Zag asked, handing his cape back.

“Of course! You _always_ interrupt the best dreams!” Hypnos complained, grinning playfully as he swung his blanket over his shoulders. He took a moment to make sure it was nice and secure, and that he himself was cozy warm before turning his attention to Zag. “This time I dreamt of the blue sky and soft white clouds, and laying in a warm field of green grass and yellow flowers, and… well, you don’t need _all_ the details. Now! What can I do for you?”

“The pair that came through here earlier,” Zag answered, his smile falling a little. “The ones in red and blue… Were you able to get their names at the very least?”

“Oh! Yeah, I remember them!” Hypnos sighed, rubbing his eyes with his fingers. “First time I wasn’t able to find anyone on the list… They said their names were Dante and Vergil Sparda, but they weren’t _on the list!_ Can you believe it?! How can you come to the House of Hades and not be on the list?! That’s… that’s the whole _point_ of _the list!_ ”

Zag held his hands up, laughing weakly. “Calm down, it’s okay! Father won’t fault you for doing your job correctly.”

Hypnos huffed in annoyance and nodded. “So if they weren’t on the list, how did they end up here?”

“That’s what I intend to find out. Did they tell you anything else of interest?”

“Well, they mentioned that they weren’t Greek… And they said something about Charon dumping them in the river for them to swim here, but I do _not_ believe that one bit! Let’s see…” He tickled his lips with the feather of his quill in thought. “Oh! They talked about how only mortals come to Tartarus, and that it’s strange that they’re here because they’re um… well, they didn’t outright _say_ they weren’t mortals, just that they were um… What was the word? Complicated?”

“Sounds about right,” Zag mumbled with a huff of his own. He smiled at his friend. “Well then… I think you’ve given me all the information you could know… Thank you. You may um… you may resume your completely authorized nap!”

“Hey, I won’t argue with that!” Hypnos reclined back and gathered his comfortable cape about him, completely cocooning himself in the plush, cozy material. He reached for his sleep mask, but paused. “Oh, hey, I think Than’s goin’ on break soon, so you better be ready for him. He’s been in uh… he’s been in a pretty strange mood since he last spent time with you, you know?”

The prince rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Probably upset that I was spending alone time with strange men… If you see him before I do, ask him to meet me in my chambers.” Zag grinned. “Assure your brother that I’ll make it up to him any way he pleases.”

“ _Blech_ ,” Hypnos gagged, sticking out his tongue. He tugged down his sleep mask. “If I end up dreaming about you two doing nasty things to each other, I’ll make you have nightmares about being naked in an arena for all eternity.”

“Bold of you to assume I wouldn’t enjoy that,” Zag teased as he walked away.

“ _Blech!”_

Zag laughed as he continued on into the house. He sighed, his routine disturbed by the absence of Cerberus. He always made a point to stop and pet his faithful hound on his way by, no matter how bad his day was going, and it made his chest ache that he didn’t have enough hands to pet all the heads, or when he couldn’t pet any heads at all. But in the center of the grand office, Zag took stock of his options. He could see Achilles at his post, guarding Hades’ chambers from unauthorized visitors, and Nyx at her own near the door to Zag’s chambers. He chewed on his lip in thought before turning to walk to his mentor. 

_Achilles will give me answers,_ Zag reasoned. _Nyx will only give me more riddles and make me figure out the truth on my own._

His master-at-arms lifted a hand in greeting, smiling as Zag approached. “You have purpose in your eyes, lad. What can I assist you with?”

“That pair you spoke with before. Dante and Vergil. You knew them, didn’t you?”

Achilles sighed softly, leaning into the wall behind him as he held onto his spear with both hands. It was a tired, relaxed stance, and one he often took when Achilles was about to tell a story from his mortal life. 

“That I did, lad. Not personally, but I knew of their father, Lord Sparda, and their stories had reached me even down here.”

“You say his name with the same respect you would when speaking of my father. Who was he, this lord of theirs?”

“A monster with the heart of a man,” Achilles replied with another dreamy sigh. Zag smiled a little, his master sounding almost in love. “He was a powerful warrior, a demon of immense strength. According to legend, a single swing of one sword could cut through an entire legion of beasts, while the other could cut between the veil of worlds.”

Zag’s brows furrowed a little. _Cut between worlds… Was that the same sword that Vergil had?_ He shook his head. “But how could a monster come to be revered by men like you?”

“What makes a man a monster, lad?” He had that _tone_ that meant he was about to teach Zag something very important, assuming he had the patience to pay attention. 

The prince almost groaned. He wasn’t in the mood for rhetorical questions or riddles. _If I wanted either, I would have gone to Nyx first._ Zag shrugged and shook his head. “The size of his horns?”

Achilles raised an eyebrow at him. “Something tells me neither Asterius nor Theseus would appreciate that answer very much.” He raised a hand to keep Zag from speaking even as the prince’s lips parted to quip back. “You are not in the mood for a lesson, nor am I in the mood to give one, so I will make my meaning swift. Sparda may be a full-blooded demon of high ranking in their kingdom, but that doesn’t make him a true monster. A long time ago, before you were even a sparkle in your father’s eyes, the surface was at war. Not in our territory, but in another, overseas. Demons sought to lay claim over humans, as a race of tyrants over the mortals that would both serve them and sustain them. But the Dark Emperor Mundus was betrayed by his closest general, Lord Sparda, who led a rebellion against the emperor. Single-handedly, Lord Sparda fought the demonic hordes back to the Underworld. With his blood and a powerful key, he created a seal upon the worlds to prevent the demons from rising again. His power gone from him, Sparda lived as if he were a mortal, and even fell in love with a mortal woman.”

“So they weren’t lying about _that_ …” Zag mumbled. “They had said they were half-mortal…”

“Aye, that they are, lad.” 

Zag hugged himself, feeling his own flesh in his hands. _I bleed red,_ he thought. _Perhaps they do as well…_ “But why? Why come here? If the part of the Underworld they’re from is different from ours, how did they cross into our Hell?”

“I don’t know,” Achilles admitted, standing up straight. The lesson was over. “The only other advice I can give you is to be wary, lad. Olympians are not the only ones to scheme and manipulate their way to power.”

“Thank you for your wisdom and time, sir.” Unsure of how to say goodbye, Zag simply walked away. Talking with Achilles always left an awkward feeling in his heart, as if no matter how hard Zag could try, Achilles wouldn’t see him in the same way that Zag may see his master. He shook the thought from his head. _I’ll need a clear mind if I’m to learn anything of use from Nyx._

His foster mother seemed to be in meditation where she stood. Her eyes were closed and her head bowed in thought, and if Zag held his breath, she looked as still as a statue. But as he drew closer, her eyes opened, and her head tilted in his direction. A small, secretive smile played on her painted lips, as if she knew exactly what Zag would ask before he could even speak. She was at least courteous enough to let him speak first.

“Nyx, might I have a moment of your time?”

“Always, child. You need but ask.”

“Right… Erm… What do you know about demons? There were a couple that visited here for a moment, and… I suppose I’m trying to find out how they got here in the first place so more don’t just… show up unannounced.”

“A fair concern, but…” She crossed an arm over her chest and touched her lip in thought. “I sensed their presence earlier, but did not see them for myself. Demons are not within our realm of power and yet…” 

“Achilles seemed to know a great deal about them.”

“He knows a great deal about many things, especially the stories and myths of men on the surface. But… this is a subject only those of us born in blood and darkness truly know about. Our house is protected from invasion of demonic forces if that is your concern.”

“No, it’s not…” Zag sighed. “I guess… I only wanted to know if they would ever come back, those two. Or how it would come to be that they arrive in our house to begin with. I don’t know… Now that they’ve gone, I regret not showing them around more or introducing them to your or everyone better…”

“Did you learn their names, child? Their true names?”

Zag shrugged. “Their names were Dante and Vergil Sparda, but whether or not those were their _true_ names…” His words trailed off as he realized his foster mother’s eyes had grown large and her face quite pale. Seeing her like that filled Zag with an unspeakable worry. Like he’d given the keys of the house to a thief. “Lady Nyx…”

She shook her head, collecting herself quickly. “Do not fret, child. I am well.” The goddess sighed heavily, as if the weight of all the stars and night had grown heavier on her shoulders. “As for them, I’m sure that they will return, if they truly desire it. To a demon, there are fewer rules to break than a common mortal would face. If they wished it, either of them could easily return to the house by some means or another…”

“Who are they, Nyx? Really? Even Achilles went on and on about their father without even addressing who _they_ were or why they’re so powerful to begin with.”

“I see… And in his own way, Achilles is wise to have answered your question without answering it directly. It is one thing to hear gossip of a person, and another to truly get to know someone.” She tilted her head at him and raised an accusatory eyebrow, the corner of her lip curling into a teasing smile. “Because _that_ is the question you are truly seeking, isn’t it, child? A name and a lineage is something anyone can tell you. What you seek is the _heart_ of who they are.”

A burning blush painted his neck and cheeks red. “I… I don’t know what it is I truly want to know… Maybe that’s the problem all along… I’ve been so blinded by questions about myself that I’ve become jaded and believe that _everyone_ has a similar mystery around them.”

“In their case, you’re not entirely wrong.” Nyx sighed. “There is one in the Underworld whom you may wish to speak about them. Her spirit has been here for quite some time, and it is possible that she felt them just as they felt her.”

“Who?” Zag asked without hesitation. “Who would know?”

“Leave our house, Zagreus, but do not go into Tartarus. Instead, step into the shadows and close your eyes. Let darkness lead you by the hand to where even your eyes cannot see. Walk into the abyss and continue on until there is no light, no path to follow. Only then, when you have allowed the true darkness to swallow you, will you find the sea of eternal stars, and the sky of forever night. In that realm, you will seek out a goddess who is neither Olympian nor Chthonic, and is older than even I or your father. Her name is Hecate… and it is one of her maidens who can further answer your questions.”


	13. Zag/Than: 2

“Hey, Than, sorry I took so long getting back. I -”

Zag stopped short in the doorway to his chamber, a mischievous smile blooming on his lips. 

Thanatos, Death Incarnate, was _asleep_ on Zag’s bed. 

His scythe was gone, as were all of his golden armaments and ornaments. As a matter of fact, Zag couldn’t see even a ribbon of his boyfriend’s dark robes and togas. He seemed to be completely naked with only Zag’s blanket to hide his nudity at the waist. Than’s arms were stretched over his head in complete comfort and relaxation. 

_Meg had mentioned that there was a war going on somewhere on the surface,_ Zag thought as he quietly padded over to his bed. _It must be keeping poor Than busier than ever… and yet he still finds a moment to be so vulnerable to me…_ He sat on the edge and leaned over his boyfriend. His hand slid up one of Than’s arms, feeling his silken skin against his palm. Zag tangled their fingers together, holding Than’s hand in his own. _Our precious eternity…_

He closed the distance between them, kissing Than’s lips softly. Zag didn’t flinch, didn’t startle as Than’s other arm came around his shoulders and held him in place. Death Incarnate’s lips parted just enough to admit Zag’s tongue, dipping in just enough to taste him. The body beneath Zag arched, stretching to try to deepen the kiss further. Zag gasped through his nose and let his boyfriend control the kiss; he handed dominance over like a borrowed laurel. Suddenly Than shifted his weight and rolled. Zag broke the kiss to laugh as he was brought down onto the bed. 

As Than’s lips kissed along his neck and jaw, Zag had to ask, “Did you miss me that much?”

“I always do,” Than mumbled quietly. He pulled away enough to look Zag in the eye. His golden irises were the color of the sweet nectar all the gods seemed to be addicted to. Zag reached to those twin suns and ran his rough, calloused knuckles along Than’s cheek. “You look sad. Speak your mind, Zagreus.”

“You’re so beautiful,” Zag whispered, his mismatched eyes flicking over Than’s face. “If I ever lose my sight, I’ll never forget the way firelight catches your eyes, or the way you smile when you think no one is looking… I would caress your face every day, just to feel your lips against my skin and remember your beauty.”

His gothic boyfriend smirked. “Shall we test that out?”

Zag blinked at him. “What?”

Than’s voice lowered to a whisper that made Zag shiver, his breath cool against his ear. “Shall I blindfold you? Drown you in darkness so that all you can do is _feel_ me… _taste_ me…” 

The prince’s body shuddered, betraying his want of tenderly stolen moments in favor of his primal _need_ to bond physically with his boyfriend. “So much for just kissing and cuddling…” Zag muttered, more to himself than to Than. He grinned as he cupped Than’s face in his hand and pulled him down for another soft kiss. His own thin, cracked lips whispered against the soft lips of his boyfriend. “I trust you, Thanatos. With my heart, with my soul… with my body… Do with me what you wish…”

“ _Zagreus…_ ” Than whisper-moaned his name before going in for another kiss. 

Zag would have laughed at his boyfriend’s sudden enthusiasm if his mouth wasn’t busy with Than’s. He swallowed back a moan as their tongues swirled together in a dance of passion and _hunger_. Not just Zag, but both of them kissed as if tasting one another for the first and last time. 

_Maybe to Than, it is_ , Zag thought idly as their lips finally parted enough to let them breathe. His boyfriend closed his eyes and laid his head on Zag’s chest. The prince ran his fingers through silver strands of hair, marveling at how soft Death Incarnate could be. _Each time I leave for the surface… Does he think I won’t come back? That each time we see each other will be the last?_ His eyes skimmed over Than’s face as he lifted his head to meet Zag’s mismatched gaze. He almost whined in guilt at the thought. _Could I do it? Could I give up Thanatos if it meant a life as a mortal on the surface, with Mother?_

“You’re crying,” Than whispered.

He didn’t realize it for himself until he felt Than’s touch on his cheek come back wet, and tears sparkled on Than’s fingers. 

“I…” The words cracked in Zag’s throat. “It feels like every time we kiss… every time we lay together… It feels like you’re saying good-bye to me… and it made me think… that what if I…” 

“Well there was your first mistake,” Than teased. He closed his eyes and touched his forehead to Zag’s. His knuckles and thumb dried his boyfriend’s tears. “Don’t think, Zagreus… Only feel… Let go of everything… and just feel me now…”

The prince nodded, sniffling a little. “Okay…” He drew a shaky breath, but it was steady as he breathed it out slowly. Zag smiled a little and nodded again. “Okay.”

“Good boy,” his boyfriend purred with a wicked smile. Than gave him a last soft kiss before sitting up entirely. The blanket fell away from his back and side just right, revealing his naked body to Zag’s eyes. He whined, reaching to touch Than’s hips, but his hands were caught before they could touch his skin. “Not yet. I have to take care of you first, before you are allowed to enjoy me.”

“What’s _that_ supposed to mean?” Zag grumbled.

Than rippled his fingers in the air, a black thick black ribbon threading around his hand at the gesture from out of nowhere. An electric shiver sparked somewhere in Zag’s lower regions and rippled through his body at the sight of that strip of satin. 

“Are you still willing to submit yourself to me, Zagreus? Or is the need you’re feeling of a different kind?”

“You haven’t frightened me with the idea, Than, if _that’s_ what you’re worried about.”

He chuffed. “I didn’t want to push if you’re not ready…”

 _That conversation again!_ Zag sat up and cupped his boyfriend’s face in his hands. “I’m here, Than. I’m here _now_. What are you waiting for?”

Than blinked, then smiled. “You’re right… Oh, Zag, you are _right_ …”

His hands came to Zag’s head, and that satin ribbon went across the prince’s eyes. He felt the knot tie at the back of his head, the ribbon firmly in place. Than pulled him into another kiss, quick yet passionate, and slipped out of Zag’s grasp. He opened his eyes to try to see past the ribbon, but it must have been something magical, _enchanted_ for no light at all to pass through it. It was as if night itself had fallen for Zag alone. 

He heard cloth shuffle, felt the blanket move away from his feet, and movement on the bed as Than shifted position. Strong yet tender hands grasped his ankle and slowly, carefully, removed his greaves from one leg, and then the other. Though he wasn’t bound or held down, Zag still felt helpless, unable to do anything more than lay back and let Than do as he wished to his vulnerable boyfriend. His legs free of the armor, Than ran his cool hands over Zag’s leg, over the cloth of his clothes, to feel the muscle beneath. 

“Do you enjoy undressing me?” Zag asked as he felt Than’s hands working on the three-headed skull paldron at his shoulder. 

“Mmm, why do you think that?”

“You rarely let me undress myself. When we are together like this… either we have so little time that we barely take anything off, or we have so _much_ time that you undress me incredibly _slowly_ like this…”

Zag heard the clatter of the heavy metal hitting his stone floor. Than’s hands went to work on his belt next. “Are you complaining?”

“No! No, I was just… curious.”

“Perhaps next time, I will bind you with Meg’s whip and let you watch me undress. And maybe then, you will understand and feel a fraction of what I feel when I undress you like this…” The weight of his belt slid away from his waist. Zag reached blindly into the dark and felt Than’s biceps in his palms. Like a curtain being parted, Zag felt his tunic pushed aside in favor of exposing his chest, stomach, and shoulders to open air and Than’s cool touch. The prince couldn’t help but shiver, sighing at the delicate touch against his skin. “It’s a feeling… I can’t describe with words… and yet I can taste on my lips…”

“What does it taste like?” Zag whispered between breaths.

Than didn’t answer him with words. Instead he closed the distance between them once more and kissed his boyfriend’s lips. But this time there was no pretense of softness or tenderness. This time, it was a kiss that was immediately intense, that was immediately heated and passionate and filled Zag’s mouth with their mixed flavors. His body was between Zag’s thighs already, pressing him into the softness of the bed. Zag’s arms wrapped around his boyfriend’s shoulders, as if to keep him there longer, but already he could feel Than’s cool fingers curling around the waistline of his pants, preparing to pull them off. 

The kiss ended as suddenly as it began, leaving Zag breathless as Than slid from his arms. His boyfriend moved out of Zag’s grasp and took the prince’s pants with him. Zag shivered at the sudden cold against his bare, hot flesh. He heard Than chuckle lowly in the darkness; he shuddered at a cool finger that drew up the length of Zag’s pulsing cock. Cool palms slid along the inside of Zag’s thighs, stroking him there. _Teasing_ him.

“Admiring the view?” Zag had to ask, mustering as much of a confident grin as he could.

“Immensely,” came the sincere answer. “I enjoy the sight of you like this… Bare… Open… Stripped of your strength and confidence… Zagreus, in his purest form…”

He didn’t think he could blush any harder. 

And then he felt the bed move again. 

And then he felt cool lips touching his cock. 

Zag’s hands went to his groin, trying to both cover himself and push Than’s face away. Of all the times they’d lain together, _now_ Zag was feeling shy. But Than grasped his wrists and held them down easily. He didn’t need his hands to do what he wanted. Than ran his tongue along Zag’s pulsing vein, making the prince make a sound that was both a whimper and a moan. Lips and tongue tasted and kissed along Zag’s length, _worshipping_ his cock. His heart was suddenly pounding as Than licked his way back up and kissed Zag’s crown. 

Suddenly it was more than just lips around the tip of Zag’s cock. 

Than took him into his mouth slowly, having to free Zag’s wrists in favor of holding the squirming prince’s hips down to keep him from bucking under him. His hands free to do as they wish, Zag’s fingers tangled in his boyfriend’s hair. His mind was a swirling mess, all thoughts stirred away by Than’s wicked tongue swirling around the head of his cock. He pulled his mouth away with a wet _“pop!”_

“Hand me that bottle of nectar.”

He flailed around over his head, feeling around for it on a shelf he couldn’t see. 

Somewhere in the darkness, Than gave an exasperated sigh. He heard something fly through the air to be caught in Than’s hand, and then the pop of a cork. After a moment, the cold bottle was set against his hip, and then Than’s lips returned to their work on Zag’s cock. Death Incarnate didn’t hesitate to take more of Zag into his mouth, his head bobbing up and down as he sucked and stroked the underside with his tongue. Zag couldn’t tell if he was actually _moaning_ words of praise and approval, or if he was just thinking them. 

And then Than’s nectar-wet fingers got involved. 

Zag _knew_ that sound wasn’t just in his mind. He felt the moan escape his chest as if the breath had been physically knocked from his lungs. His legs curled in around Than, but there was no escaping his boyfriend’s attention. The first finger wiggled in after a few minutes of work, and then a second joined minutes after that, but those minutes didn’t feel like minutes. They felt like long, torturous hours as Zag rode the edge of an orgasm that he just couldn’t reach. Those fingers expertly stretched him, opened him, _prepared_ him for the sex to come. And once Than felt his boyfriend was comfortably loose, those fingers curled, finding that one sweet spot that made Zag see stars exploding in the darkness of his vision. 

The orgasm wasn’t as _good_ as others had been, but it was still delightful nonetheless. It still shook Zag to his core, left him trembling and gasping as he pulsed in Than’s mouth. As if coming to clarity, Zag tried to push his boyfriend away. 

“Shit… I’m sorry… I should have warned you… I didn’t realize how close I was…”

Than pulled his lips from his boyfriend’s cock without a word, and for a brief moment, Zag was worried he’d upset him. But then Than’s lips touched his. But then Than’s tongue sought entry, and as they kissed, Zag tasted himself on Than’s tongue. 

He pulled away from the kiss. “Blegh…”

His boyfriend laughed. “You seemed to enjoy it.”

Zag’s face felt like it was on fire. “I…”

“We’re not finished yet, Zagreus…” He guided a hand to his own cock, letting Zag feel how hard he was. “I’ve still not had my fill yet.” 

“Where do you want me, Than?”

“Mmm… Roll over, onto your hands and knees this time…”

Zag nodded and obliged, feeling Than take the bottle of nectar away before it could be spilled. His blush felt like it extended over his whole body as he got into position as Than had asked. It wasn’t a new one or unfamiliar to him, and yet being unable to see his boyfriend, Zag felt as shy as if it were their first time together. 

He felt the lubricated cock against his ass and let Than guide him, adjusting the angle of his hips for easier access. Than was always gentle with him, taking his time to let Zag adjust each time they had sex like this. He would always go in slowly, stop to let Zag adjust, and then continue on until they were connected completely. 

Than’s hands slid over his body, pulling Zag back off of his hands. His chest was refreshingly cool, like a fresh breeze against Zag’s back. “Lean back against me,” Than told him quietly, and Zag obeyed. The thrusts this time were short ones that made Zag hop on Than’s lap. And while the friction of feeling Than’s whole cock enter and leave him wasn’t there, the tip of it struck true again and again, tapping against that sweet spot over and over inside Zag. He felt hands over his body, and Zag couldn’t tell if they were his own or Than’s. Even Death Incarnate warmed up when he was in the middle of passion. 

“Do you know where we’re facing, Zag?” 

He weakly shook his head. 

Gentle fingers came to the back of Zag’s head and untied the ribbon from his eyes. As the cloth fell away and Zag’s eyes adjusted to the light of the room, his gaze came into focus. 

Reflected back in the Mirror of Night was Than, cock-deep in Zag. The prince was touching himself, his own hand stroking his cock as Than thrust into him. Than kissed his shoulder and purred in his ear. “Look at what a mess you are, my prince,” Than teased him. “So handsome… so powerful… so _delicious_ …” 

Than bit into his shoulder and Zag came again, his body shuddering and every muscle in his body tensing so much that he couldn’t breathe. He felt Than cling to him as he came as well, his nails raking over Zag’s thigh and stomach. 

As he came down from his orgasm, his vision blurry from the pleasure, Zag looked at their reflection again. His body rippled with electricity.

For just a moment, Than looked like someone else…

For just a moment, Than looked like one of those two demonic twins Zag ached to know more about…


	14. Chapter 14

Dante opened his arms to the van as he stepped out of the massive airport rotating door. “Now there’s a sight for sore eyes! I never thought I’d hear myself say this, but I’m so happy to see you!”

“You fucking piece of shit!” Nero exclaimed as he slammed open the door of the van and threw a Buster Arm at him, hitting Dante square in the face. “Both of you! You have some fucking nerve to- to call me and tell me you n-need my help!” With every word he said, Nero’s rage was replaced by another emotion that made his eyes water and his lips tremble. “After what you m-made m-me go through…”

The younger twin tilted his head at Nero, arms still open. He made a small gesture with his hands, and Nero came sprinting out of the van. The hug was more of a tackle as it knocked Dante completely off of his feet and onto the concrete sidewalk. But even as he ached from the metal weapon to his face or the stone to his back, Dante held on to Nero, hugging his nephew for dear life as if letting go meant slipping away again. Nero sobbed into his shoulder, and as much as he wanted to make a quip about the whole situation, for once Dante knew better than to do so. Dante closed his eyes tight, feeling Nero’s joy and sadness, his rage and his delight, his fears and his hopes swallow him whole. The demon sniffled a little as Nero let go enough to pull back. 

He grinned at his nephew, lifting a hand to wipe Nero’s tears from his face. “Hey, hey! Stop that. You know our company motto.”

“Eat a bag of dicks,” Nergo argued with a grin. He got off of his uncle and offered Dante a hand. The younger twin accepted, and Nero pulled him to his feet. As Dante dusted himself off, Nero turned his attention to Vergil. “Hug?”

Vergil smiled a little and nodded, opening his arms as well. “Hug.”

The two exchanged a more sensible hug, though it lasted just as long. Vergil gave the side of Nero’s head a soft kiss before letting go. 

“Well, now that  _ that’s _ taken care of…” Nero said sheepishly, rubbing his nose. “Get in. We’ve got a lot to talk about, and it’s a long ride back to the shop.”

“Hey, hey! You refill your water tank? I could use a shower!”

“No, but we can stop at an RV park to load up. In the meantime, I’ll have Nico roll down the windows. Both of you stink of death!”

The twins exchanged a look. Vergil chuffed. “You’re not… entirely wrong.”

As promised, Nero and Nico opened the windows of the van, just enough to air it out on their journey. Dante and Vergil rode in the back while Nero sat up front with Nico driving. For once, her driving wasn’t wild or destructive, giving the twins a chance to rest. Dante’s legs stretched out to the other couch, and Vergil leaned against him, head on his twin’s shoulder. Their eyes were closed, and Nero grinned to himself as he glanced back at them. 

Dante couldn’t let himself sleep, as much as he  _ wanted _ to sleep. That hunter instinct, that  _ need _ to always be on the watch kept him awake. Even though Nero was  _ right there _ , Dante felt even more protective of his brother, now that he finally had Vergil back topside. He smiled to himself as he enjoyed the cuddles, feeling and hearing Vergil’s soft breathing. As they relaxed and Nico drove, he drew the map in his mind, following every exit off the highways and expressways, following every turn, every stoplight, until he felt his grin reaching from ear to ear. 

They weren’t going to an RV park.

They weren’t even going to the shop.

They were going to the sanctuary.

The scenery through the window above his head transformed from crowded city airport to the schools of cars on a highway that rose and fell like waves over and into the city. The skyscrapers towered over them then shrunk once more in the distance, and the labyrinth of meandering streets of offices and businesses became an orderly grid of samey houses. The quality of the houses diminished the further they drove, from the white-picket-fence neighborhoods of HOA’s and Karens to the crumbling row houses of a community supporting itself and each other. 

In the heart of the community that was a city of itself was a crumbling school, left abandoned by students in favor of a newer one that had been built miles away. Kyrie and Nero didn’t have much when they moved out of Fortuna, but they had enough to buy the school. And with Kyrie’s loving, almost magical touch, she transformed it into an orphanage. When it was ready, the orphans of war and demon attacks moved after them from the island cult that had worshipped Sparda for a better life. A normal life. The yard had a playground built from scraps and scratch, and a section was paved and painted for a basketball court. 

And next door to the orphanage was the sanctuary itself. Dante had always thought his shop was a safe haven, but that was because A) he owned it, and B) the place was lined with enough weapons to arm an army. Kyrie’s house, though, was a true sanctuary. It had been a fixer-upper when they bought the place, but Kyrie wasn’t the sort of girl who balked at the idea of getting her hands dirty. They were still soft to the touch, but they were stronger now, more than ever after fixing the place up. It was a beacon of light in the grungy neighborhood, with its fresh coat of paint and blooming garden, and on Halloween, it was the most popular for its decorations and massive treat bags. 

Dante was sitting up before Nico could put the van into park, Vergil awakening beside him with the change in energy around them. Nero climbed between seats to join them in the back, opening the sliding door. He stepped out first, and then Dante. The legendary devil hunter looked up from his careful step to see Kyrie standing in the doorway, her honey eyes wide and sparkling with tears, her hands over her lips. Grinning, he cocked his head at her and opened his arms. She didn’t have to hold her skirts, wearing a more sensible knee-length one today, as she ran to him and leapt into his arms. 

Laughter filled the air as he hugged her, lifting her from the ground to spin her a couple of times. She didn’t sway when he finally set her on the ground, pulling away enough for him to see her happy tears on her cheeks. 

“Oh, Mr Dante… I knew it, I just  _ knew _ you wouldn’t be gone for long!” Kyrie exclaimed. “I told Nero to just have faith and trust and…” 

Her words faded as she noticed Vergil hopping out of the van behind him. Dante could see the transformation go over her, as if she had changed clothes right in front of him. The young woman went from energetic and enthusiastic to demure, as if she returned to her old ways of being a temple maiden when she was nervous. She gave Vergil a little curtsey. 

“You must be Mr Vergil. Nero has told me so much about you.”

He tilted his head at her and gave her a small bow. “And it is a pleasure to meet you properly, Miss Kyrie. I regret our previous meeting was in less… positive circumstances.”

She smiled at him and reached for Nero’s hand. “I’m just finishing dinner.” The young woman giggled at the twins. “You’ll want to eat first. Once dinnertime starts, it gets quite crowded with all the children coming in, and I can’t promise there will be leftovers. You’re welcome to use the shower and spare room if you need. Oh! I think we might have some spare clothes for you to borrow in the attic.”

“Bold of you to assume we’ll leave any for the kids,” Dante teased with a grin as they followed her inside. “I’m fucking starving!”

“Language!” Kyrie scolded him.

The inside of the house smelled of chili powder, cilantro, and roasted vegetables. Dante’s mouth watered at the buffet laid out for guests of the neighborhood and the children of the orphanage; hard and soft home-made taco shells, both ground beef and fajita-cut steak, thick mushrooms cooked in taco seasoning for the vegetarian children, guacamole, pico de gallo, roasted red and green peppers and onions, and even wedges of lime. Dante wrapped an arm around Kyrie’s shoulder and pulled her close enough to kiss the side of her head. 

“That’s it, Kyrie. You need to divorce Nero and marry me,” he told her teasingly.

She laughed and pushed him off, rubbing the place he kissed. “How about you just agree to come to family dinner on Sundays instead?” Kyrie offered, handing her two guests of honor plates. “Help yourselves, gentlemen.”

Dante and Vergil did just that. Both loaded their plates with do-it-yourself tacos and sank into the comfortable cushions of her couch. As they ate, they watched in idle fascination as she got the children and volunteers in an orderly line. The younger twin finished his meal quickly and let his thoughts wander. Vergil leaned into him once he’d set his plate aside.

“Does she remind you of anyone?” Vergil asked quietly.

A grin grew on Dante’s face. “You mean that floaty guy, right? Hypnos?”

“Mm-hm.”

He chuffed and shook his head. “Was it just a dream, Verge? Were we really…  _ there _ ?” 

“We have no evidence on hand to prove that we were, but…” Vergil idly ran his fingers along  _ Yamato _ ’s sheath in thought as he leaned it against him. “I can still feel the power from having to cross over in  _ Yamato _ .”

“How does  _ that _ work?”

Vergil didn’t answer immediately, and Dante knew why. His brother was trying to sort out the best way to explain it to his brother without taking too long. Eventually he answered, “It’s like a phone call. You dial somewhere, or you receive a call, and your phone keeps a history of numbers. I can feel the history of being in the Underworld in  _ Yamato _ .”

Dante nodded slowly. “Fair enough. So how do we get back?”

“I’m working on that…”


	15. Dante/Vergil: 1

Their conversation came to a mutual pause as Kyrie came up to them, her arms loaded with clothes and towels. 

“The spare room is ready for you, and here’s some towels if you want to take a shower. If you set your clothes in the basket outside, I can get laundry going. _Oof!_ Careful! Is that too much?”

“Relax, I got it. I can carry an armful of stuff.” 

“Okay. Bathroom’s upstairs and if you need any help with it, um… maybe call Nero instead of me… I’m not sure I um… Well, nevermind…” 

Dante laughed as he headed upstairs. “Thanks for the offer, but uh… Yeah, I think we can handle it.” 

He set the towels and clothes on the counter in the bathroom and reached in to get the water started. “You like it hot or cold, Verge?”

“Take a guess,” his brother grumbled as he leaned _Yamato_ against a wall and started to undress. Vergil left his boots outside and peeled off his gloves to fling unceremoniously into the laundry basket. 

The younger twin rolled his eyes. “Too bad, I like it hot.”

“You say that as if we’re showering together.”

Vergil squeaked quietly as Dante grabbed him by his belt loop and pulled him into the bathroom completely. Lips pressed against lips, chest pressed against chest, and hands held wrists to the cool tile wall. The icy demon melted into his twin, submitting to Dante’s lips and body. A knee wedged Vergil’s apart, and groin rutted against groin, feeling each other’s stiffness through jeans.

“You can’t wait until we get to the bed?” Vergil mumbled against Dante’s lips.

“We’re dirty. Fuckin’ would get the bed dirty. We take a shower. We’re clean. Then we go to sleep in a dirty bed?”

“Fair…”

They kissed again, passionately and sloppily. All of the restraint they’d been holding since they first fell from the Qliphoth went away like a levy breaking. Dante grinned to himself as he heard the soft gasps and moans as he led the kiss. Their hands bumped into each other and their limbs became tangled as they undressed each other as hurriedly as they could. Dante let go of his lover and grabbed the shower curtain, tearing it aside. 

He felt Vergil shiver beside him. Not from cold, Dante knew. The mirror was already fogging with steam. He held out a hand to help Vergil in, and braced himself on the counter, expecting the bottom of the tub to be slick. Dante’s arms slid around Vergil’s waist as the elder twin’s own arms circled Dante’s shoulders. The kiss was slower this time, more tender. The rush they had felt moments ago had passed, and now they were letting themselves take their time. 

“You need to shave.”

“Mm?”

“Your stubble. It itches my face when we kiss.”

“Damn, I was hopin’ I could con you into lettin’ me grow out my beard.”

“Ass…”

“No, _this,_ ” Dante shifted his grip down to cup both of Vergil’s cheeks and squeeze, “is an ass.”

Vergil chuffed, pushing Dante’s face away playfully. His smile went from teasing to one of bliss as Dante lowered his lips to kiss along Vergi’s neck and shoulder. Dante rubbed their cocks together between them. 

“You able to fuck me in this tight space?”

“Darlin’, I can fuck you in a closet if I needed to.”

“Mm, tempting… Perhaps another time though…” Vergil pressed a hand to Dante’s cheek, tilting his head up. The fire demon felt his heart melt at those eyes, so intense and cold, yet as sparkling and beautiful as gemstones. But he also saw the bags under Vergil’s eyes, the purple weariness of sleep blemishing his skin like tacky eyeshadow. “I need you now. After all this time being away from you… after all this time crossing blades with you… I need you now, Dante.” 

He couldn’t help but grin at Vergil’s whispered words. Dante kissed him again, long and slow, and peeled himself away enough to look around for something to use as lube. He spotted a bottle of the stuff in a corner and felt his grin widen. “Kyrie, you dirty girl you,” he muttered as he grabbed it and snapped it open. “Front or back, Verge?” 

“Front… I want to kiss you.” Vergil quirked an eyebrow at his twin, a cocky smirk on his lips. “Or are you not strong enough to hold me up anymore?”

“Bitch, I’ll pick you up and drop you on my cock if you keep up that attitude.”

“I’m positively _quivering_ in _fright_ …”

Dante shrugged with one shoulder. “Don’t say I didn’t warn you,” he grumbled as he wet his fingers with the lube. 

His hand went between Vergil’s legs without hesitation, kissing his brother hard as he fingered his twin’s tight asshole. Vergil moaned and melted into Dante, his body shuddering with want, with need, with submissive bliss. His lips opened to Dante’s tongue. Slowly one finger worked its way in, and then another. Dante felt and heard his twin moan in his throat as his fingers brushed that sweet spot inside Vergil’s core. The elder’s hands didn’t know what to do with themselves, sliding along the wet skin of Dante’s chest, his shoulders, his neck and throat, to find anywhere to grasp. His fingers tangled in Dante’s wiry chest hair, grown long from skipped waxings. Once upon a time, Dante could afford the manscaping he needed to be as hairless as a statue, but he hadn’t gone to a spa in months. 

Vergil broke the kiss gasping. “ _Fuck_ Dante… Just fuck me already… I’m so close, I’ll cum with just your fingers if you don’t hurry…” 

“And if that’s the idea?”

The elder twin bit his mate’s earlobe hard. Dante hissed through his teeth. 

“Alright, fine! Fuck! Let me find a condom first, damn…”

He heard his brother whine as Dante let go of him, Vergil nearly collapsing without his lover to hold him up. Hot water dripped from Dante’s arms as he reached out of the shower for the medicine cabinet, and finding nothing there, he had to poke out the top half of his body to search through the cabinet under the sink. Dante bit back a moan, feeling Vergil’s hands on his back and ass, and then on his groin to stroke him while he searched. Finally Dante found what he wanted, hidden behind two packages of feminine hygiene products. He tore the wrapper and flung it in the trash before diving back into the impromptu sauna of a hot shower.

His hungry graze raked over Vergil, who leaned gasping against the cool tile of the shower wall as he waited for Dante to get ready. Dante’s heart lifted and sank at the sight of his brother. It had been years since they’d seen each other, let alone made love like this. But Vergil’s body was still as sensitive, still as responsive as it was those lifetimes ago. He was still slender, still muscular, still beautiful in that dangerous way that made Dante’s heart race and his groin tingle. 

“You’re staring…” Vergil whispered over the rain of hot shower water.

“Admiring…” Dante grinned at him as he slid the condom on and lubed up. “I’m admiring you. Been a long time since we got to fuck… I want to enjoy this while I can… Don’t know when our next chance will be…”

“Hopefully somewhere more horizontal and comfortable.”

Dante couldn’t help but grin. “Hell yeah…”

Vergil smiled and grabbed his wrist, pulling him close enough to kiss again. His arms circled Dante’s shoulders, bracing himself as Dante cupped his twin’s thighs and lifted him up to press against the wall hard. 

“Might need you to guide me in…”

“What’s the matter, Casanova? Have you forgotten how to get it in already?” Vergil purred. “And here I thought you’d at least been practicing on Nero…”

He didn’t respond with words, letting go of one thigh to guide himself to Vergil’s waiting entrance. Dante felt him gasp and jolt as the head of his cock pushed in. Grinning, Dante gripped his thigh once more and thrust up. Vergil’s head fell back against the tile wall with a wet thud as he moaned loudly, his body melting in acceptance. He tried to mute his moans and purrs by biting into Dante’s shoulder, but the younger twin didn’t feel it. All he felt was the tight heat clenching around him, sucking him in deeper. As Vergil’s body adapted to him, it got easier to move. Dante rocked his hips, thrusting up and pulling out enough to make Vergil whine for more. 

_“Za…”_ Vergil whispered in his ear. 

The fire demon chuckled lowly. “What are you wantin’ to say, darlin’?” 

_“Ha…”_

“C’mon, Verge… Use your words…” 

_“Za-AH!”_

Dante had hit that spot and stayed in, pressing against it. 

“Ain’t gonna let you cum ‘til you tell me.”

 _“Za… Zagreus…”_ Vergil whispered.

He purred and resumed his humping, bouncing Vergil against his groin and the wall. “Naughty Vergil… Thinkin’ ‘bout another guy while I’m fuckin’ you. Are you imaginin’ him, Verge? Huh?” Dante felt his lover tighten around him. His ankles locked behind Dante, and he felt nails tearing down his back. He let his voice drop lower in Vergil’s ear. “He’s got you pinned to the bed, Verge. All muscles and strength. Poundin’ into you with his thick cock…” 

“Shut…” Vergil gasped. _“Up…_ You’re _aaahhh_ … You’re _not_ helping…”

The younger twin could only laugh, letting their mixed moans and heavy breathing speak for themselves. He closed his eyes and touched his forehead to the cold tile over Vergil’s shoulder. Dante wasn’t sure what his brother was thinking about, but he could guess…

Because he was thinking about Zagreus too.

Dante was thinking about that young man, confident about his body. Proud of it, and he damn well should be. Zagreus was stamina, strength, and endurance that meant he could go again after a brief water break. As Dante fucked his twin against the wall, he unabashedly imagined fucking Zagreus the same way, pinned against something hard and cold to contrast his own hot body as he pounded harder and deeper into giving flesh. He imagined Zagreus’s moans and sighs, a slightly higher pitch than Vergil’s voice. Zagreus spoke softly, but he was still young. Dante imagined the prince enjoying it hard and rough; bites and squeezes that could bruise a human would fade away before they could even be formed on his immortal body. 

Vergil came with a cry, clinging to his younger twin and digging his nails in so deep, Dante felt the sting of hot water on raw flesh. As Vergil clenched and shuddered around him, Dante came as well. His legs shook from it, and Dante gasped for breath at the strength of the orgasm that nearly crumbled him. 

He moved slowly, carefully, not wanting to drop Vergil or hurt himself. Dante lowered himself to sit in the bathtub, Vergil on his lap. His brother was still riding that bliss, and Dante could only smile, running gentle hands over Vergil’s back, his thighs, anywhere his hands could reach and feel. 

“I love you,” Dante whispered, kissing his shoulder.

His twin weakly chuffed. “Even if I imagine other men fucking me the way you do?”

“I can’t be mad because I was doing it too…”

Vergil pulled away enough to look his twin in the eyes. Light fingers brushed Dante’s bangs from his forehead, and Vergil cupped his face gently to bring him in for a soft, chaste kiss.

“I love you, Dante…” 

“I know…” 

“And you need to shave… _badly_ …”

Dante could only tiredly laugh. “I know.”


	16. Chapter 16

After a good night’s sleep, a damn good breakfast buffet, and a less sexy shower, Nero dropped Vergil off at the city’s largest library with no papers, no pencils, and no plan. 

Vergil had so many questions without answers that he almost felt overwhelmed with the idea of doing research without a starting point. Almost. As soon as he walked into the ancient building, he took in a deep breath and felt the energy of pure _knowledge_ flow into him, grounding him in the there and then, the here and now. The library, constructed in 1848 and opened to the public in 1890, was a place of history. This wasn’t some library where one would pick up fifteen Harlequins and call it a month. No, this was a reference library. A place where the books didn’t leave the building unless it was for very specific reasons. The wood creaked beneath his feet as he went straight for the desk to ask for directions; the Dewey Decimal system may be universal, but library layouts were not. He grabbed scrap paper and a pen from the desk and followed the librarian to their section on Ancient Greece, making note of the location, and then to World Religions and Mythology. The demon gave her a polite nod in thanks, then grabbed the nearest book regardless of subject to use as a writing pad. 

_Zagreus_ , he wrote in the center of the page. Then he drew a line and wrote _Myths?_ , another and wrote _Hades_ , and another and wrote _Persephone_. All four words were circled. From _Hades_ , he wrote and circled in different bubbles _How does one enter the Underworld willingly? How many kingdoms of the Underworld are there? Are they connected? Are there multiple thrones of power? Who reigns in each kingdom?_

He looked at his handwritten thoughts and huffed. “Why couldn’t it have been somewhere _easy_?” Vergil mumbled. “Like Egypt. Ancient Egyptian mythology is easy! There aren’t misinterpretations, misogynistic scholars to work around, cultural bias…”

Even as he muttered to himself, Vergil scanned the shelves. Book after book piled into his arms until he started losing feeling somewhere past his elbow. He found a table in the corner and claimed it as his own by offloading the armful of books onto its surface. Disregarding proper etiquette of being presentable, Vergil shrugged out of his coat to drape on the chair, and leaned _Yamato_ in the corner. He didn’t sense the presence of any demons, _Thank the Savior._ Leaving behind his paper of thoughts, Vergil went back to the stacks to pull more books. 

_Zagreus first,_ he thought as he loaded and unloaded his arms once more. _Zagreus is the edge piece to my puzzle. My corner. From him, my research can form the border, then work its way inwards… to the central question: How do I get more power? But first questions first… Who is Zagreus? And how have we never heard of him?_

With a huff, he opened the first book, turned to the end of the index and skimmed the words. Brows furrowing, he closed the book and tried the next. And then the next. And then the next. _And then the next._ For every book Vergil closed without further reading, he felt his frustration grow further until he was ready to throw a book out the nearest window and scream. The once peaceful library became stuffy and closed-in. He ran his fingers through his hair and felt himself shaking. 

_‘Deep breaths, Vergil,’_ he heard a voice in his mind. He closed his eyes tight and did just that. His two halves were still there, after all this time. Had they been asleep when in the Underworld? Or bound? Or was his growing frustration, his growing mental imbalance waking them? Vergil didn’t know, and he feared the answers. If one was awake… Inside him, V touched his mind and brushed his hair from his bangs. Vergil mimicked the gesture, just to feel touch on his skin. _‘Just breathe. List the Fibonacci sequence.’_

“Zero, one, one, two, three, five, eight…” 

_‘His existence is a lie.’_

The voice in his mind was the scraping of teeth against flesh, of blood spilling from an open wound. Vergil clenched, gritting his teeth. “Thirteen… twenty-one… thir… thirty-four… fifty… fifty-five…”

Urizen was not one that enjoyed being ignored. _‘You know the myths by heart. You studied them at your father’s feet. There are no children of Hades. There are no sons. The god of the Underworld was foretold to have no heir. This prince… this_ **_boy_ ** _is beneath you. Ignore him. Wipe his face from your mind. Erase his voice from your memory. All that matters is power. Power and the throne of Hell… which_ **_you_ ** _occupied!’_

“Briefly…” Vergil mumbled, burying his face in his hands. “I occupied that throne _briefly_ … and even then, it wasn’t _me_. It was _you_.”

_‘And it doesn’t have to be next time,’_ Urizen purred in his mind. He could feel the claws and scaled hands touching his face, clasping over his eyes to blind him once more. _‘Next time… it can be you… it_ **_will_ ** _be you!’_

“Fif… fifty-five… eighty… eighty-nine… one hundred fourty-four…”

The beast inside took control of his body, springing from his seat to shove every book and paper from his table and onto the floor. Books hit the ground with clatters as loud as gunshots, and if it weren’t for the fact the table was bolted to the floor, he would have flipped that too. But the table resisted him, and being unable to lift it brought Vergil back to his senses. He collapsed onto the floor, gasping. 

_I still require healing… My two halves are still not whole…_

Vergil’s hand reached out to find _Yamato_ , bringing it to his chest to hug. He curled his whole body around the sheathed katana, as he would when he was a child. When he was frightened or lost, the cool presence of the weapon brought a strange comfort. He could almost feel a hand patting his head. 

_Music…_

He opened his tightly screwed eyes, blinking.

_I hear music… and whispering…_

A shiver ran down his spine. The _sounds_ were not natural sounds. Like watery fingers on glass… or singing garbled underwater… Vergil couldn’t begin to describe the sound he heard. But he heard it. It was real. _More real than I,_ he thought with a chuff. 

His head lifted, and he saw it.

An opening in the floor.

Just at the edge of the mess of clattered books between shelves. 

Vergil stared at it, studied it as he slowly unfurled from around his weapon. The edge of the portal was rimmed with gold, and Vergil couldn’t see where it led to from where he stood. And even if he could look down into it, the path was obscured by a dense black, sparkling smoke. Both his voices, both of his inner selves went silent at the sight of the gateway, as if terrified by it. But Vergil himself, in his heart of hearts, was more curious than afraid. Drawn to it, like a moth to flame. 

He grabbed his coat and slung it around his shoulders. _Yamato_ in hand, he stepped to the portal’s edge.

_How many times have I leapt into the abyss?_

_How many more times must I leap?_

Vergil chuffed to himself. The books, the library would bring him no answers. He knew this, even before he stepped into the library. 

_One more time, it would seem_.

Without a second glance, a second thought, Vergil stepped into the portal and fell.

Above him, the portal closed, and around him, the black smoke strangled him. He was falling, but he didn’t feel wind or gravity. Only the sense that there was no up or down or sideways. Only darkness.

And pain.

Like a thousand needles stabbed him at once, the pain struck Vergil both inside and out. He would have cried out, but he had no air to breathe. 

Unceremoniously, he was dumped onto cool marble flooring. Vergil groaned in pain, laying there for a moment to catch his breath. The stabbing pain had ended, leaving him throbbing and sore, vulnerable and _squishy_ to further touch. Even the cold of the solid marble floor hurt. His body protested as he slowly pushed himself to his knees, and using _Yamato_ as a cane, to his feet. His eyes hurt when he opened them, as if blinded by a bright light, but there was no light. Vergil stared around him and found only stars. The marble slab he stood upon was an island in a sea of eternal space. At the end of the slab, there was another gate, similar to the one he had stepped through, but closed still, staring back at him with the colorful mosaic of a pair of all-knowing, all-seeing eyes. 

Between him and the gate was an orb of purple glass, illuminated from within by a divine emblem. It was a symbol he didn’t recognize, a starburst of arrows from a single spot. 

Swallowing hard, Vergil reached for the orb and touched it. For a moment, it was cool against his skin, before it shattered and a new presence entered his mind. 

If V was his humanity, and Urizen was his pure demonic soul, then this new entity was the ever-changing mass of clay from which both were born. A thousand voices spoke at once, and a face took shape from that clay, though the rest of the clay around it continued to move, to morph, to shape itself into faces and limbs only to be squashed again by an invisible hand to be reshaped. 

_“I had hoped to avoid this encounter, Son of Sparda,”_ the voices in his mind spoke. They were his voice, Dante’s voice, Nero’s, and Kyrie’s, and hundreds of others he didn’t know, speaking in harmony and yet separate enough that he could almost name them. _“But it seems that other influences would lead you astray from your path. As such, I must become involved personally.”_

“Who… who are you?” Vergil asked. Speaking, _thinking_ , took an effort he didn’t have the strength for. His legs melted beneath him, and he collapsed to the marble floor once more. He felt the warm dribbles of blood dripping from his nose, as if _something_ had a firm grip of him inside and out, mind and body. “ _What_ are you?”

_“I am as you see me. I am as you hear me. I am the clay from which all life was shaped. I am the voice that fills every living creature of the universe. I am Chaos. And you have fallen into my realm, Son of Sparda, though not by accident. It was inevitable that we meet. The path you walk would lead you to me, regardless of what choices you made.”_

“But… why… why am I here?”

_“Why did you leap?”_

“Knowledge… _power_ …”

_“I can grant you one of these things, Son of Sparda. The other… you must acquire yourself. I grow tired, and you grow weak. Ask of me one question, and I will answer it.”_

“How… how did we end up to be in the House of Hades?”

_“As I said, your path would lead to me. You arrived into the House of Hades because my hand within the waters of the River Styx guided you there. Because I have need of you as a pawn in a greater game. Should things continue unchanged, a war will begin between the gods of Olympus and the gods of the Underworld. There are paths that, if taken, could stop that war, but I have not the… patience… trust… faith that the other pawns and royals will follow the paths needed to maintain the balance. But you… You, I can trust to follow the path needed… Because, Son of Sparda… You are incredibly predictable…”_

A clay finger reached to him and touched his forehead, and Vergil felt his whole body ripple as if he were a water-filled jelly.

_“Rest, Son of Sparda. When you awaken, you will be safe. Stop the war. By any means necessary. You have sacrificed your blood and life to see me. Do not hesitate to sacrifice the blood and life of others when the time comes.”_


	17. Chapter 17

He woke from his nap alone in bed, Thanatos long gone. Zag reached for the spot his boyfriend had been laying in and felt only cold. _It… sucks that he never says,_ Zag thought with a whine as he got up and gathered a fresh set of clothes from the trunk at the foot of his bed. _One day, I want to wake up to him, for his face to be the first thing I see._ He checked the Mirror of Night to make sure he looked presentable. Than rarely left a mark on him, and some days, Zag wished he would. _If only to anger Father further…_ Grinning to himself, Zag headed out of his room and into the house proper. He didn’t finish his rounds earlier; he still had a giant watchdog to pet and a wretched broker to converse with. Hopefully the former had returned by now, with or without his master.

And after that, Zag was going into the realm of endless night.

 _Cerberus first,_ he thought with a smile, going to the hound. He ignored his father’s grumblings, petting along the giant hound’s nose and under his chin as far as he could reach. “Good boy. Maybe I’ll give you walkies on the surface sometime.”

“The hound gets enough exercise as is,” Hades protested.

“Dragging your trash out, I’m sure he does,” Zag muttered under his breath before walking away. He was in a good mood; the last thing he wanted was to sour it with a spar of words with his lord father. 

Going into the lounge, Zag spotted the blue back of Meg at a table. His mood sank immediately. Rubbing the back of his head, he quietly approached. But like everyone else in the household, she seemed to have a second sense of when he was near. Just as he came to her elbow, she stood up straight, making herself mentally presentable for the prince. 

“Meg…” Zag sighed her name, running his hands through his hair. He felt his laurels slip and had to adjust them. _Blasted things…_ “I’m… I’m so sorry…”

“About what?” Meg mumbled, her gaze falling to her untouched goblet of bloodwine. A small corner of her lip curled into a smile. “The beating I’m going to give you later?”

He chuffed, his shoulders slumping a little as he leaned on the table beside her. “Try not to enjoy it _too_ much… Than does prefer that I come home in one piece.” 

“You should be careful. He’s asked where he can get a whip like mine.”

“I’m sure he can get a craftsman to make one for him.”

“Or I could just give him mine when I’m off duty.” 

“He doesn’t need more encouragement,” Zag mumbled sheepishly. He still had the enchanted black ribbon, tied to his belt and tucked away. 

“Perhaps not, but I’d be more than happy to teach him a thing or two about how to use it.”

“That’s what I meant…”

Meg smiled fully now, and Zag felt his spirits lift a little, knowing she wasn’t _entirely_ pissed at him. _Just halfway pissed_. He shook his head. “How… How are your sisters?”

“Alive,” she replied. Meg waited for his sigh of relief before continuing. “Their egos are a little wounded, and they’re sore, but… they are still alive. Either those demons aren’t the sort to consume the souls of their defeated, or they went easy on us.” Her golden eyes finally turned to him, meeting his gaze. She tried to sound _not_ worried, but even he could hear the tone in her voice. “How are you, Zagreus?”

“Feeling a little like your sisters,” he admitted, his eyes on his hands on the tabletop. “Torn… Like I’m being pulled in several directions at once by several hands, and unsure of where to go next.”

She nodded, though whether it was in acknowledgement or understanding, Zag could only guess. “Is it ever worth it? Getting past me, getting past the other guards, fighting your way to the surface? You always come back through the Styx. Is it worth it?”

“Every time.” 

Her gaze snapped to him again, and her face softened when she realized he was smiling. 

“The battle has always been worth it, Meg. Even if I only get a few moments to be up there. Even if every time I’m dragged back home. Even if the process is excruciatingly painful. It’s worth it. Just to see the sun rising over the sea, to feel the cold of snow against my skin, to see her and hear her voice…” Zag sighed heavily. “I don’t… expect you to understand. Considering your relationship with your sisters is no better than mine with Lord Hades.”

“Sweet, naive Zagreus,” she chuffed into her goblet. “You’ve only seen one corner of the surface. What I wish you could see more of it. The world above isn’t any better than down here. If anything, it’s darker… crueler… but what do I know?” Meg sighed heavily. “Those demons… are they gone?”

“For now… I don’t doubt that they’ll return though.”

Her lip curled in disgust, and she shook her head. “Who are they? And why did you allow yourself to be near them? If Lord Hades realized what they were, he’d tear the Underworld apart, just to secure it further.”

“I don’t know who they were, Meg… But I intend to find out. As to why…” Now it was Zag’s turn to huff in amusement. “They were originally Hypnos’ problem when they appeared in the pool but not on the list. And then I couldn’t find a file on them in the administrative chambers.”

“As if _anything_ can be found in that abysmal room…”

“Exactly! And besides… It was nice to fight alongside someone who wasn’t trying to kill me at the same time.”

“Yet! You don’t know them! They could have turned against you! Blood and darkness, Zag, they almost _did_!” 

Zag shook his head. “I don’t think so. They frightened us with their power. Surprised us. But not again. Now that we know their power, we can face them better next time.”

“We?” Meg shook her head, mumbling into her cup. “Do you have a mouse in your pocket?”

As she took a drink, Zag dug through his tunic and produced the small, stitched mouse to offer to her. Meg spat out her drink in surprise. 

“His name’s Mort.”

“ _Where_ …” Meg wheezed. “Did you find _that_?!”

“Than gave him to me.” Zag smiled and booped its tiny button nose.

When he looked up, Meg had a _look_ on her face that he’d never seen before. Her lips were pulled in as if she were biting both at the same time, and her eyes were big. Her cheeks expanded with air until suddenly she burst out in laughter. 

An embarrassed blush bloomed across Zag’s face and ran down his whole body. Even his feet felt warmer. “H-Hey now… Stop laughing! This is a very precious gift!”

“I take it back, Zag…” Meg wiped the bloodwine from her chin and shook her head. “You know damn well what you're doing… You're being an _idiot…_ Don’t think I’m going to go easy on you, just because you bring reinforcements _again_.” Her eyes narrowed on him. “Next time you come to my chamber, be prepared. I’m going to give it my all to keep you here. Not just because it's my job, but because I enjoy it.”

He smirked as he tucked the little toy away. “I look forward to it, Meg.”

“Just another perk of your journey to the surface?”

“The best part of the journey, I promise.”


	18. Chapter 18

Dante was the kind of man who couldn’t do too much at once. He’d learned that mistake long ago, when he tried eating a slice of billing paperwork and signing a piece of pizza left on an envelope. So he considered it a small victory when he was able to text and walk from the parking garage to the library without hitting a single light pole or walking into traffic at the same time. The ladies were in town, which meant Trish was available to hand over the keys to the car. An easy task, since his two buxom coworkers preferred to cuddle on the motorcycle anyways. 

His leads were getting him nowhere. After a day of phone-calls, texts, and tracking down old contacts, Dante had nothing to show for his effort. Morrison was good at getting him work, but when it came to getting answers, his informant was suddenly tight-lipped or busy. And Trish had sped off before he could bribe her over Starbucks to even sit with him for five minutes. So he was left with nothing but his wallet, his phone, and a hankering for sushi that he hoped would lead back to another round of horizontal tango.

So here he was at the library. Dante stopped on the stone steps to put his phone on Do Not Disturb out of sacred politeness for the quiet institution. The setting sun over the hazy city cast an orange glow into the building, and he stepped slowly to keep his heavy boots from making too much noise as he searched the stacks for his twin. Every time he turned a corner or peeked between rows, Dante expected to see his brother at a desk, surrounded by a mountain of books. But again and again, he was disappointed. He scoured all three floors of the library, getting himself absolutely lost, before he found his way back to the front desk. 

“Hey, sorry to bother you when y’all are probably gettin’ ready to close,” he said sheepishly as he rubbed the back of his neck. “But has anyone seen my nerd brother? Twin, same height, same hair color, wears a blue coat, carries a katana like a weeaboo mall ninja?”

There were only two librarians, a younger gal at the front computer and an older one in a windowed office behind her. The younger turned to her elder, who got out of her chair to come around to the door of her office. 

“Yeah, I helped him get to the mythology and ancient Greece sections, but I haven’t seen him since.”

Her younger coworker nodded in agreement.

“Great,” Dante grumbled, running a hand through his hair.  _ Maybe he’s in the bathroom? _ He looked around for a sign to the toilets, but paused his gaze on a black  _ thing _ in the corner. Dante tilted his head at it and grinned. He pointed to it. “Hey, what are your cameras for? Security footage?”

The younger gal stood from her chair to lean over the desk, close enough that Dante could see the shimmer of her make-up and smell the sweetness of her perfume. Or deodorant. Or hand-sanitizer, he really didn’t care. “That one? That’s one of the ghost cams.”

He blinked at her as if he hadn’t heard right. “Ghost cams?”

“Yeah, the library’s haunted,” the older gal said matter-of-factly from her post at her office door. “So we’ve got some cameras around the library pointed at where the ghosts like to appear the most.”

“No shit…” Dante was impressed, and he gave the cameras an amused smirk. “Don’t suppose the footage is available for public viewing.”

“It’s on our website,” the younger gal chirped robotically, as if she’s had to say it a hundred times a day.

Dante looked around again and saw a computer lab. “There enough time for me to hop on right fast?”

They both shrugged. “Computers shut down in five minutes, and the library closes in fifteen.”

“Gotcha. Won’t be long, I promise.”

“Mm-hm,”  _ like I’ve never heard  _ **_that_ ** _ before. _

He speed-walked to the computers and nearly slid out of the rolling chair from the force of his sit. Double-click on Chrome and up popped the library’s front page, with arrows pointing down at the ghost cam’s top submissions. Dante didn’t have to search far for his brother, because there he was on the front page of the website, in the ghost cam section. Someone had even patched together a janky gif of Vergil moving.

Jumping.

Into a mysterious portal that Dante could only describe as demonic.

Dante buried his face in both hands, resisting the urge to just  _ scream _ . “We’ve been on Earth for one  _ fucking _ day,” he muttered under his breath, “and then  _ dumbass _ decides to take a  _ fucking _ leap of  _ fucking _ faith into the  _ fucking _ unknown…” He let out a heavy sigh and lowered his hands from his face. “I’m cool. I’m fine. This isn’t something new. Just… a fuckin’ hassle…” Ever the gentleman, he closed out of the browser and pushed his chair in. He even came up to the desk to drop a couple dollars into the donation jar. “Thanks gals.” 

“Have a nice night!”

His hands in his pockets, Dante stomped out of the library. The cool evening air felt good as he came out of the stuffy building, and he rolled his shoulders back to stretch. Somewhere in the distance, he heard a fire engine, but that was the city. Sirens weren’t an uncommon thing to hear, and after years of living in his sketchy neighborhood, their blaring became white noise. Hell, sometimes it even meant a job was about to waltz in.

But as he opened his eyes from his stretch, his gaze fell on a column of smoke that towered higher than any skyscraper. 

“What the fuck…” 

Instinct said to check the breaking news, so that’s what he did. He lifted his phone from his pocket and stopped when he realized Nero was calling him. “Why isn’t it… oh yeah…”

Dante swiped to answer. “Devil May -”

“Shut up and get to my place right now!”

“Nero? What’s going on?”

“There’s… there’s been a fire… at the orphanage…”


	19. Chapter 19

Meg tapped her fingers as she waited by the Pool of Styx. Zagreus hadn’t left through his normal route, and kept her waiting in her chamber before she got impatient enough to come home. According to Hypnos, he hadn’t died yet, which was strange, and according to Nyx, he hadn’t even gone to Tartarus in the first place, which was even stranger.

She pinched the bridge of her nose.  _ What are you getting yourself into now, Zag? _

The First of the Furies lifted her head as she heard splashing in the pool beside her. Faster than her own whip, she spun on her heel. 

“Zagreus, I swear in all of the realm of blood and darkness, if you…” 

Her words trailed off as she realized that the shade wringing drops of the Styx from their clothes wasn’t Zagreus at all, but a young woman. A  _ mortal _ . She fumbled on unsure footing, slipping on the marble tile beneath the thick blood, and Meg found herself reaching out and catching the woman before she could fall too far. 

Which was a Mistake™. 

From a few feet away, the maiden had been pretty plain, but up close, she was breathtaking. Meg went through the pantheon in her mind, trying to remember what forgotten goddess could cross from Olympus or the mortal realm to the Underworld. But no, this maiden was a mortal, her hand warm against Meg’s. Her skin was completely unblemished, graced by the gods with the virtue of having never dealt with acne, large pores, or pox. In fact, the only flaw in her skin were small freckles across her nose and cheeks that were so faint, one had to be a breath away to notice them. Her plush lips were the faintest, fairest pink.  _ Rose-kissed, _ came to Meg’s mind, as if somewhere deep in her raging core was a poet only now peeking out between the bars of her ribs. 

And her eyes… 

The maiden’s eyes were the color of warm nectar in candlelight. Her hair, pulled into a braid over one shoulder, was a velvet brown that shimmered from dark chocolate to bronze to gold as she moved in the dim lighting, stepping out of the pool with Meg’s assistance. Even her clothes were plainly pretty, though a little charred in places from the maiden’s assumed death. Her denim jacket, embroidered with flowers on her arms and back, could be salvaged given time. Under that was a plain turtleneck sweater that was once cream and now stained pink from the Styx. Her brown skirt fell modestly to her knees and a little more. Stockings hid the skin of her legs from sight, though her feet were bare.

“I’ve lost my loafers somewhere in the pool,” the maiden mumbled apologetically when she noticed Meg’s gaze. She slid her fingers from Meg’s hand, and the Fury found herself missing the feeling.

“Sandals are not a necessity within the House of Hades,” Meg assured her. She even gestured to her own bare feet. 

She giggled, the sound like bells in a breeze, like the windchimes in the forbidden, forgotten garden. “I suppose not…” 

Meg tilted her head at the maiden. “How are you not afraid?”

“Hm?” She looked up at Meg, having been distracted for a moment with brushing ash and soot from her skirt. 

“You are mortal, are you not? How are you not afraid to wake up in the Underworld, in a pool of blood?”

“Being a woman, one grows accustomed to waking in a puddle of their own blood,” the maiden mumbled shyly. Her voice lifted as her eyes did to meet Meg’s gaze. “When I was alive… I married someone who had demon blood in them. That I should find myself in the Underworld after my death…” She shook her head, smiling. “I’m not surprised that I’m here. I’ve seen many frightening things in my life. I’m not afraid of where my path may lead me, even if it is into the end.”

Meg glanced to Hypnos, still asleep at his post. “No… Your soul will not go to Tartarus or the abyss…” Her golden eyes returned to the maiden. “You will most likely go to the fields of Elysium.”  _ Unless… _ Meg chewed her lip in thought, but shook it from her mind.  _ No… This is no place for her… She deserves brightness and light… She belongs with the flowers and beauty of eternal peace.  _ Just to feel their skin touching once more, Meg extended her hand to the maiden. “Come. We need to get you checked in.”

The maiden smiled and nodded, accepting that hand to let Meg lead her onwards.

Hypnos startled awake as they approached, fumbling for his list. Meg gave the maiden’s hand a gentle squeeze and started to let go, but the mortal held on a moment longer. She smiled a small, shy smile and squeezed Meg’s hand in return before letting go as well. 

“Welcome to the House of Hades, where death is our life!” Hypnos cleared his throat and got his quill ready. “Now then, can I get your name please?”

“Kyrie Eleison,” she replied, pinching her skirt to curtsy at him.

“Blessings to you too, miss, but I need your name.”

She blinked and then giggled behind a hand. “Forgive me, but… that  _ is _ my name. My mother wasn’t very creative when it came to names…”

“...oh…” He checked his list. “Ah! Here you are!” His smile faded fast. “Oh! Um… sorry to hear about the fire… That’s uh…”

Kyrie smoothed out her skirt once more. “It’s… it’s okay, really… I’m just grateful I was able to get the children out in time…” Her eyes lifted to smile at Meg. “I would hate them to think that they came to such a dark place for forgetting to eat their vegetables or brush their teeth after lunch. And besides, I lived a good life.” Her gaze fell away with a nod. “I believe… I’m ready…”

Hypnos checked off her name on the list and watched as the gold lettering faded away to make room for the next shade. “Well then! Everything looks like it’s in -”

“Wait,” Meg said suddenly. “You’re forgetting. She needs um… she needs to go to the lounge for… for further processing.”

Sleep Incarnate stared at her as if Meg had suddenly developed a second head. She jabbed him in the side with her elbow and gave him a fierce glare.

“Right?” Meg questioned him.

“R-right! Further processing! In the um… in the lounge!”

The maiden looked between them in confusion, oblivious to the happenings around her. Meg took her by the hand once more, and Kyrie smiled at her. “This way! You can make yourself comfortable while I uh… while I get the rest of the…”

“Paperwork?” Hypnos suggested.

“Paperwork! Yes! We live and  _ breathe _ on paperwork here! So much of it!” 

Hypnos grinned widely as a burning blush painted Meg’s face, and she led Kyrie away before the floating fool could expose her. Past Cerberus, past Hades at his desk, past Nyx observing silently from her post by Zag’s chambers, and into the lounge. The House Contractor had been busy as of late, renovating the lounge when Zag could afford it. Since he last arrived and left, there were comfortable new seats. It was one of these seats that Meg led Kyrie to and gestured for her to sit.

“Wait right there. I shouldn’t be gone long.”

Kyrie crossed her legs at her ankles and smoothed out the wrinkles from her skirt. “Okay,” she smiled at Meg.

Her heart hurt as if Eros’ arrow had struck her at the sight of that smile.

Meg fled before  _ she _ could make a fool of herself. The First of the Furies followed the faint song of distant humming to Lord Hades’ short hall of artifacts. Dusa was right where Meg thought she’d be, humming away as she dusted. The gorgon didn’t startle as Meg approached her, and the immortal warrior had to stop short of grabbing Dusa to shake her.

“I need your help,” Meg hissed in a whisper. She looked around to see if anyone was in earshot, and her eyes narrowed on Achilles. The blond warrior smirked at her and adjusted his grip on his staff. He turned his back to them, a silent show that he wasn’t listening, though Meg had her doubts. 

“What is it?” Dusa asked, blinking in surprise that there was actually something Meg  _ couldn’t _ do on her own.

“It’s…” Meg wasn’t entirely sure how to word the mess of feelings she was having in her heart, in her belly, and somewhere even lower. Having a crush on the Lord’s son was one thing, thinking another coworker as attractive was another, but this… this  _ fluttering _ she felt every time that maiden smiled at her… this  _ electricity _ that zapped through her at the mere touch of fingers to fingers… this  _ ache _ in her at the thought of the mortal slipping away was unlike anything Meg had ever felt before. She sighed heavily. “A mortal shade has arrived, and… and I’m overcome by something strange… a  _ desire _ , Dusa… I have a  _ desire _ to keep her here, and I don’t know what…”

She paused, hearing another voice  [ humming ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3SZee4YZX8) . The sound made a drop of warm  _ pleasure _ trickle down Meg’s spine. Curious, she peeked around the corner and saw Kyrie standing in front of Orpheus. A small smile bloomed on the Court Musician’s face, his fingers twitching to pluck invisible strings, as if feeling the chords before the maiden began to sing.

> _ “I dig my hole, you build a wall…” _
> 
> _ “I dig my hole, you build a wall…” _
> 
> _ “One day that wall is gonna fall.” _

All of the house seemed to go quiet at once, as if everyone stopped to listen. The master of strings adjusted his lyre on his shoulder and began to strum in tune with her. They were low notes, a thrum that Meg felt in her chest even from where she spied on them. She didn’t know the lyre could make such deep, rich notes.

> _ “Gonna build a city on that hill…” _
> 
> _ “Gonna build a city on that hill…” _
> 
> _ “Someday those tears are gonna spill.” _

Meg ducked back into the artifact gallery, shaking her head. “Is it cruel of me, Dusa? I want to keep her here… just because I think she’s pretty. Like a flower plucked for a vase or a bird in a cage with clipped wings… It’ll just kill her more if she’s forced to stay here…”

“Do you know that for sure though?” Dusa asked quietly. The gorgon smiled, her eyes bright with a hope that Meg almost felt for herself. “Because to me? She looks like the kind of girl that just wants to help others, and would be happy to continue to do so. I mean, look at her! No one  _ asked _ her to, but she’s singing to Orpheus and Hades! And I think she’s also singing to you.”

“What do I do?” Meg asked, her heart sinking. “If I let her go… she’ll go to Elysium. And I’ll never see her again. Even my power can’t take me there for long.”

“Well…” The floating head tilted to one side in what Meg imagined was a shrug. “We could always use more servants. And you especially! How much easier would your job be if someone took care of you? I-I mean… took care of things  _ for _ you.”

The First of the Furies chuffed and nodded. 

Kyrie’s song faded away as Meg approached them, though the Court Musician continued to play the chords and beat of the song. He hummed as he played, changing notes here and there as if to compose something around it. The maiden smiled, then blinked at Meg.

“Did you forget the paperwork?” Kyrie asked, looking from Meg’s chest and empty arms to her face. 

“Paperwork? Oh! Right! Yes, um… I got ahead of myself. It’s been so long since we’ve had a new servant that I forgot the proper procedure.” 

“Oh, of course. I know the feeling.” 

The maiden had an almost knowing smile that made Meg squint at her, but even the Fury couldn’t be mad at her for too long before she offered her hand to Kyrie again. It surprised her how easily Kyrie took that offered hand, laughing even as she was led away to Lady Night herself. 

“Lady Nyx, may I have a moment of your time?” Meg addressed the surrogate queen with a bowed head.

Her golden eyes flicked briefly from Meg to Kyrie before a small smile bloomed on her lips. Meg felt her skin flush as Nyx’s eyes returned to her,  _ seeing _ into Meg as a mother would see into her guilty children. 

“I am always open to give counsel to those who ask it, Megaera,” Nyx murmured. “It is rare that you come to me for assistance.”

“I don’t… like asking for things,” Meg admitted. Kyrie’s hand in hers gave her a gentle squeeze. “This shade… This mortal woman. She’s not yet been judged by Lord Hades, but I had hoped to put her to use rather than have her sent away.” 

An ebony velvet eyebrow arched in amusement. Graciously, Nyx waited until Meg had finished stumbling through her request before speaking, and even then, she took a moment to gather her thoughts. 

“I see no reason why such an arrangement couldn’t be made. But I would not want to offend our other servant. Dusa does well on her own, so much so that even I must admit to being impressed by her quality of work. Would having a second servant interfere with that quality of service Dusa has always given us?”

Kyrie squeezed Meg’s hand again before answering, “I can follow another’s instructions. I don’t mind.”

“And it was Dusa’s idea,” Meg added. “If this mortal should displease Dusa, then I could still have some use for her in my own service.”

“I did not think you needed or wanted a personal maiden,” Nyx mused, tilting her head. “But as you are among Lord Hades’ favored employees, I also see no reason to deny your request.” Night Incarnate extended a hand to them. “Come, child. Allow me to garb you in more appropriate attire, and show you to your new quarters. Once you have become oriented to your new home, you may begin your duties.”

Meg gave the maiden’s hand another squeeze before letting go to let Kyrie take Nyx’s hand in turn. “I’ll see you soon,” Meg promised. 

Kyrie smiled, her radiance embossed in Meg’s memory even long after the two vanished from sight. 

The First of the Furies sighed heavily and shook her head.  _ What is Zagreus doing?  _ Meg wondered as she headed into the lounge for a drink.  _ What am  _ **_I_ ** _ doing?  _

Deep in her cup, she was not at the Pool of Styx to witness another arrival. But Hypnos, startled awake at his post, was. He shrunk away behind his list as Vergil approached him.

“I need to speak with Lord Hades,” Vergil stated to him. “Privately.”


	20. Chapter 20

Zag had never felt so  _ lost _ before. He touched the silk ribbon on his face, though it was completely useless. Leaving the house through the courtyard, it was easy to follow Nyx’s instructions from there. He had put the blindfold on for good measure, but it wasn’t needed. As soon as he stepped into the darkness, the gate of the house faded from view. Even as he stood still, he had seen it retreat back, as if he, or the house itself, were carried away on the shoulders of an unseen god. 

He had no sense of time either. The freezing walk on the surface from where he emerged to Persephone’s garden had felt like an eternity.  _ This _ … This walk made the previous ones feel like a jog. Zag didn’t feel any sense of being in danger either. He just felt  _ lost _ as he walked with hands stretched ahead of him, seeking something,  _ anything _ to be his guide.

The terrain under his feet changed from one step to the next. When he had once been walking on a stone floor, grass met his burning feet. The change was shocking enough to startle him from stepping forward again. But as Zag stood still, he could  _ feel _ the world forming around him. He heard brush rustling in the darkness, a fire cracking somewhere, and the hoot of a strange animal above his head. Trees seemed to sprout around him, and when he reached out, he felt the rough bark of one against his hand. He reached to his blindfold and tore it from his face, gasping in awe.

The Realm of Endless Night was much more than he could have imagined. The moon above was as large as Hades himself, casting a blue-purple glow on everything it touched. Stars sparkled in an endless sky that was both blue and black, though Zag didn’t understand  _ how _ . The trees of the forest around him were of black bark and lavender leaves that rustled and swayed in a breeze that kissed his skin and hair. Around him were bushes of flowers that had their own silver-blue shine to them as they lined his path towards the marble temple, lit by silver braziers that burned with orange fire. 

As he walked, he glanced back but his fiery footsteps left no char on the grass as it did when he visited his mother’s sanctuary. Here, he could only assume, even the grass was enchanted with godly magic. 

“Hail, son of Hades,” a harmony of three feminine voices greeted him. 

He stopped at the orange brazier, his attention turning to the speaker. The goddess was three women in one, fused together at their backs. Each face was different; one was a maiden younger than he, one was a mother that reminded him of Nyx and Persephone, and the third was a crone of old age. Her toga was of a black material that shimmered with starlight and  _ magic _ as she moved with a grace that surprised him. Zag had expected being three people at once and having three sets of limbs would be awkward, but she moved with the grace of a queen. A silver chain sparkled at her hips, and from that chain, from every link, dangled a silver key.

It was the face of the mother that greeted him, and focused her attention on him.

“Do you know me?” The goddess asked him.

Zag shook his head. “I must admit… I do not. Father doesn’t speak of other gods often, let alone of others that live in his domain. But…” The prince looked around them. “We’re not entirely in his domain anymore, are we?”

She smiled at him. “No, we are not. We are in the between, at the crossroads where all worlds meet. Olympus, the mortal realm, the Underworld… and more… All paths lead into my domain, but it is I who permits the traveler to enter or pass.”

“And how do you wish me to address you?”

“I do not require the flattery of titles the way your father and his family do. To all, mortals and divine alike, I am Hecate.”

He allowed himself to breathe a small sigh of relief. “You’re just who I was looking for… I think… I’m looking for someone who would know… other people I’ve met…” Zag shook his head. “It’s complicated. The short of it is, Nyx told me to come to you, that you knew who I would need to see. A maiden of yours.”

Hecate’s smile grew as she stepped closer to the brazier. She waved a hand over it, and the fire melted into luminous orange water. Looking inside, Zag didn’t see his own reflection, but the reflection of a memory.  _ His _ memory of talking to the twin strangers at a desk in the Administrative Chamber. It had felt so long ago that he’d almost forgotten. But there they were, explaining in silence who they were and what was happening. 

“Dante and Vergil Sparda,” Hecate said their names with a quirk of amusement in her tone. “Yes, I know of whom Lady Nyx speaks of. Their mother is a witch of great power, and a priestess of my name.” She reached into the memory water and pulled from it a key that took the light and  _ gold _ from the water to take shape. When the key had formed, the water within the dead brazier was just water, and all the light was gone into the object, which she handed to him. “Follow the path,” Hecate told him, gesturing to a darkened path leading into her forest. “And when you come upon the garden door, unlock it with this. Darkness and moonlight guide you, child.”

“Thank you. What do I owe you for this kindness?” 

She shook her head and gestured dismissively at him. “There is no need for repayment for this, son of Hades. Guiding those who are lost is my duty and my desire, and it is the way of  _ my _ household to share knowledge to those who seek it.”

He grinned a bit at her. “If that’s the case, you might end up seeing more of me soon. But in the meantime, thank you again…” 

Holding the key ahead of him to light his way, Zag followed the grassy path into the dark archway under the trees. As soon as he passed through them, he looked back and saw that the temple had vanished, back into the darkness from which it came. 

“Well… Here goes nothing,” Zag sighed as he returned to the path ahead and continued on. 

After only what felt like a few steps, the dark garden gate appeared ahead of him, and he inserted the key into the lock. The gate opened with a push and the key inside fizzled away into nothingness. As if he walked into a room, the clearing lit up ahead of him. 

His heart stopped for a moment in his throat.

The house silhouetted by the massive moon looked for a moment like his mother’s own cottage. But as his eyes adjusted to the moon’s brightness, he realized that no, it wasn’t his mother’s cottage. This house, this  _ mansion _ was much more grand than his mother’s humble home. It rose above him as he walked closer, and another garden gate separated him from the front yard. Zag paused there, unsure on if he should just walk in or at least knock first. 

“Um… hello? In the name of Hades, is… is someone there?”

He waited for an answer and counted the seconds that went by in quiet. Hearing no answer, he huffed and tried the gate. It opened without resistance, and he entered the front yard, then followed a cobblestone path around to the back, into a magnificent garden. Rows upon rows of neatly planted flowers, herbs, bushes, and miniature trees lined the garden that was nearly as big as the mansion beside it. There was a neat little white wire table and four dainty chairs around it, and a path leading into another forest grove. 

Between the rows of plants, he saw a woman kneeling and at work. Her back was to him, but for a moment, Zag could swear it was Persephone herself. Her hair was the right color, but the style… His mother wore her hair in a thick braid over her shoulder, but this woman… Her hair, though golden and shimmering, fell freely down her back and over her shoulders. She was dressed in black, but he could see a red shawl over her shoulders. 

Unsure of what to say or how to approach her, Zag walked along the cobblestone path and cleared his throat when he got closer. “Erm… excuse me, ma’am?”

She lifted her head and stood, taking a moment to wipe her hands on a cloth that she dropped into a basket beside her. The woman smiled at him in that motherly way, where there were lines of interest, curiosity, but also that suspicion of strangers in the creases of her brows and lips.

“Good evening,” she replied, tilting her head at him. “A rare pleasure to have guests… Who might you be, young man?”

“My name is Zagreus… and… I think I’ve met your sons…”

Her eyes lit up in that way that made Zag’s heart ache. It was the same way Persephone had looked when she realized who Zag was when he first came to her.  _ What tragedy has befallen them, for her to look as she did when I met Persephone? _ “You… you know my sons?” She lifted her skirts to run to him, gathering his hands in hers. Her eyes were that same steel blue as Dante and Vergil’s. “Please… please tell me everything you know… Wait, wait! Not here… Let’s go inside. You must be weary from your travels to have reached me in the first place.”

“That’s um…” Zag looked between the mansion and his fiery feet. 

The woman’s gaze followed his own and she let out a quiet “oh”. She nodded and guided him to the table and chairs. “Wait here. Let me get some tea, and we can speak…”

_ What is it about women and tea? _ Zag wondered with a smile as she gathered her basket and scurried inside through a side door. He chuckled and shook his head, looking back to the garden.  _ A shame she and Persephone don’t know one another. They could probably spend hours talking about gardening and their unruly children. I wonder what her husband is like. Is he as horrible as Hades or did she get lucky? _

Zag didn’t have to wait long for her, the woman came back with a tray of tea and triangle-shaped pastries. She served him as she spoke. “Forgive me, in my haste to hear more of my sons, I never got the chance to introduce myself.”

“It’s quite alright,” he reassured her with a smile. “I’ve heard that witches aren’t always… forthcoming when it comes to their names. Achilles has told me stories that in some cults, revealing one’s name would mean forfeiting their power.”

She nodded as she poured herself a cup. The woman tucked her gown behind her knees as she took her seat, then fluffed her hair behind her. Though she was a mortal, Zag couldn’t help but feel that she, too, could have been a queen. 

“This is true,” the woman told him as she took her cup and cradled it in both of her hands. “Though I am not one of those witches affected by such superstition, I still hold respect for those it does affect.” She smiled at him. “My name is Eva. And now that we’re properly introduced, please… I implore you… Tell me all you know of my sons. What are they like?”

He sighed, feeling himself sink into his chair. “Truth be told, I wish I knew…” Zag admitted. When he glanced up at her, he saw her confusion plain on her face. “I had only met them briefly. But it… Meeting them has affected me in ways that meeting any other mortal never has. So many shades and souls pass through my house that I hardly notice, but them… I came here hoping that  _ you’d _ be the one to tell me more about them.”

“I wish I could help you,” Eva sighed herself. She brought her cup to her lips and blew the steam from it. “I… hardly got the chance to know them before it all happened…”

“What happened?”

“It is a sad story, Zagreus.” She smiled at him, lifting a questioning eyebrow. “Are you certain you wish to hear it?”

“I’m serious,” he told her with a huff. “I mean it when I say I want to learn more about them. For once in my life, I can feel the string of Fate connecting us, though I don’t know how or why. Please… tell me. Their story can’t be much more tragic than my own.”

“Perhaps. But I fear I only know half of the tragedy.  _ My _ half.” 

“Your half of a story would hold far more knowledge than I’ve learned from anyone else so far. Please… I want to know.”

Eva nodded and took a sip to steel herself for the story to come.

“When they were born, fewer things could bring me more joy than them. They were so precious to me, and watching them grow… I had no hopes or dreams for them, strange as it may sound. I only wanted my boys to become strong, to love, and to live, and to be their own light outside of their father’s shadow. But with each passing year, they…” Her smile faded. “They fought so much… that I feared I had failed them as a mother. They rarely saw eye-to-eye regarding anything, and they were such opposites…”

“Fire and ice,” Zag mused.

This earned a small smile and laugh. “Yes,  _ exactly _ . Two sides of the same coin. Fire and ice, day and night… love and pain… Their father was dedicated to their education. Any topic they learned at school, he supplemented with further reading, further teaching, further knowledge. And when they became strong enough, their education became more… physical. He began their lessons in combat when they were six. I was planning on waiting until they were older before I taught them my craft, but… I never got the chance…”

When she looked up at him, Zag nodded for her to continue. _ Would it be rude for me to touch her? _ Zag wondered.  _ To hold her hand? It makes Persephone feel better… _ He laid his arm on the table and reached to her. Eva smiled a little and set down her cup to grasp his hand with both of hers. 

“On their eighth birthday, their father gifted them both with a powerful weapon, and I gave them each a half of a sacred amulet. To Dante, he gave his demonic sword  _ Rebellion _ , and to Vergil, the  _ Yamato. _ Both swords and amulets were keys to the seal between the human realm and the demonic one that Sparda had sealed off all those years ago. All of them were pieces of their father’s immense power. Days after that, Sparda disappeared. At first I thought he had left on some business, but it wasn’t long before I realized he had been lured away into some trap or ambush. And days after that, my fears were confirmed when our home was attacked by demons.”

Zag gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “You… don’t have to go on…”

“No, I… I need to. Please let me finish.”

He nodded, saying nothing more.

“I… I was able to find Dante easily. He had been at my side, watching as I cooked. He and Vergil had just gotten into a fight, and I had him in time-out briefly while his brother was playing outside… My sweet Dante… I wish I knew… If I had known, I would have kept both of them with me…” Eva shook her head and sighed heavily, the weight of the world above slouching her shoulders. “I was able to whisk him away into a hiding place, to see that he was safe and give him my last good-bye. But Vergil… My darling Vergil… I didn’t get to him in time… The demons found me… cornered me…”

The prince moved without thinking, standing and circling the table. He knelt to her and let her wrap her arms around his shoulders. He felt her tears against his shoulder and neck as she buried her face in him, crying the silent, guilty tears of a mother who couldn’t protect her sons. Zag ran a hand over her hair, petting her and comforting her though he wasn’t sure how or how effective he was being. 

Long minutes passed before she released him enough to sit back, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Forgive me…” Eva whispered. “How unseemly I’m being… crying on the shoulder of a strange man…”

“It’s alright,” Zag assured her with a small smile. He lifted a hand to her cheek to brush her tears away, as Persephone had done for him as of late. “You might not have been there for them, but they were there for each other, right?”

Eva shook her head. “No… No, Zagreus, they weren’t… I implored Lady Hecate to grant me a glimpse of the future when I reached her, to show me what I had lost. But instead of the future, she gave me the present, the moments after my death. While the house burned, my sons ran in opposite directions. Through Lady Hecate's words, I learned that they both thought the other had died, and they would not see each other again until they reached manhood…”


	21. Chapter 21

It was Achilles himself who led Vergil into Lord Hades’ master chambers. There was no spoken warning, no verbal command to touch nothing, to merely close his eyes and wait, but the warning was there in the warrior shade’s chilly, narrowed gaze. Achilles left him at the desk in the center of the room and closed the door as he dismissed himself without a word spoken between the two of them. Like all the other rooms of the House of Hades, this one was not designed for hosting guests; there was nowhere for him to sit, save in the crimson armchair behind the desk. As it was facing the door, Vergil knew that it was where his gracious host would be sitting once Lord Hades was finished with his paperwork. 

_Something else to consider in the upcoming negotiations,_ Vergil mused as he went to the window. Through it, he could see the emerald city of Tartarus. He stood _Yamato_ on its end and rested his hands on the pommel. _If this plan is to go through, a sitting area for future negotiations such as this one will be required._ He chuffed quietly, closing his eyes. _Plan… As if I truly have one. Chaos has asked me to stop a war of a reasoning beyond my knowledge between combatants that I don’t truly know or understand. Is this truly what they meant? Or, like Dante, am I making this up as I go along and hoping for the best? How far I’ve fallen… Even if this plan goes nowhere, I will learn something at least…_

He turned his head when he heard the door open once more, admitting the floating snake-head from earlier and… Vergil’s eyes widened and he looked away quickly, hoping that if he didn’t see her, she wouldn’t see him. But he studied her in the reflection in the window. There was no doubt about what he saw. It was _Kyrie_ ! The maiden had changed clothes, but the simple black chiton, clasped at her shoulders with a coin-sized bronze broach each, suited her well. A blue sash was tied around her waist, pouched just right to act as a pocket should she need to tuck something away, and to also serve as a symbol of whom she served. _Who wore blue?_ Vergil wondered, trying to remember the persons he had encountered so far. He nearly groaned as he remembered the incident at the lounge.

The floating snake-head balanced a tray of refreshments while Kyrie set a chair down at the desk. She clapped the dust from her hands, then helped Dusa with the tray, taking it from her tangle of snakes to set on the table. Kyrie was careful not to knock over the pyramid of scrolls or spill any wine on the open scroll draped along the length of the desk. Neither of the servants spoke, coming and going as quietly as ghosts. If Kyrie had seen him, recognized him, she made no sound or motion to indicate so.

_This… complicates things,_ Vergil thought, his focus returning to the city of the dead outside. _But then again, if she’s here… he will be more willing to follow…_

Finally the heavy doors opened once more, and Vergil saw the imposing figure of Lord Hades enter in the corner of his eye. The ice demon turned his attention to his host and bowed deeply to him. The gesture hid the brief look of disgust at having to bend the knee to someone else, and it gave him a moment to regain control of his thoughts and face.

“My lord,” Vergil greeted him, trying his best to sound gracious, even through grit teeth.

“ _Hrmph_. Let us hope this private audience you’ve requested is worth my time.”

Lord Hades gestured to the guest chair and came around to sit in the more comfortable red-cushioned seat. For a brief moment, his back was to Vergil, but the demon didn’t strike. Instead, he took the seat offered and laid _Yamato_ on the ground at his feet between himself and the desk. Lord Hades squinted at him, assessing the gesture and it’s hundred meanings. As a further show of loyalty, Vergil even poured his host’s wine first. They touched goblets and sipped, coming to the silent agreement that for the time being, they were in a truce. No harm would come to Vergil, and no attack would be made on Hades’ person. The wine, much to Vergil’s surprise, was good; sweet and strong, with a spicy afterflavor, as if it had been mulled prior to fermentation. Cardamom, peppercorns, star anise, citrus… but what was the base? It was tart and tangy, but he couldn’t quite place it.

“Pomegranate?” Vergil asked, genuinely curious.

“Of course. What other fruit would we use, but our own signature crop?”

Vergil tilted his head slightly, his host’s tone grating on him. “Fair enough…” Vergil mumbled into his cup. He sighed and set aside his goblet to meet the death god’s gaze. “Lord Hades, I propose that our sons marry.”

“ _HA!”_ Lord Hades barked, grinning. But Vergil held his gaze, the demon’s face unchanging. The death god blinked at him. “You’re serious.” He chuffed once more and leaned back in his seat. “Well then, go on. Persuade me as to why I should even listen to such a ludicrous idea, and how this proposal will work in my favor.”

“You should listen because it amuses you, my lord,” Vergil answered, a small smile playing on his own face. “Because everything _else_ you’ve tried to control your rebellious son has not worked in your favor. Perhaps what he needs is a distraction, something else for his wild impulses to focus upon. Having a companion of his age who is as equally adept with a sword will turn his energy into sparring and contests with this new opponent. And if combat isn’t distraction enough, there are also the sexual impulses young men their age must endure. Having a partner his age, of equal attraction and appeal, able to keep up with him in bed will keep him from seeking out other means of releasing himself.”

Lord Hades listened intently, not interrupting Vergil as he spoke. And the more the demon spoke, the more Lord Hades stroked his beard, the more Lord Hades considered.

So Vergil kept going.

“And then there’s the matter of the household. Lord Hades, in my brief visit, I’ve seen that you run an impeccable administration. Every shade accounted for, every soul adequately assessed and fairly judged, every papyrus and scroll in its place… It would be an absolute _travesty_ should the next in line be unable to maintain the empire of efficiency you spent millenia building. My son, however, runs his own business. You may have difficulties teaching your son to run an administration properly, but _mine_ … I have no trouble imagining my son working side-by-side with you, learning from you how to properly manage such a difficult and important bureaucracy.”

The god of the dead briefly raised his eyebrows, allowing himself to mumble into his goblet, “Your point is painfully made…” Lord Hades took a swig, then cleared his throat. “Your proposal is amusing indeed. And rather interesting… However. I may be accepting of this bargain, but I am curious… How will you convince my son? He hardly bends to any demand that _I_ make of him, nor follow any attempt I make at curbing his destructive tendencies. How will _you_ coerce him into believing that this is union is something that benefits him?”

“My son is of the mortal realm, of the Surface,” Vergil explained. “His mother was mortal, and I am merely half-mortal. His lineage of quarter-Sparda’s blood gives him some power, but not enough to make him a threat to those with gods’ blood in them. But… by bonding with my son physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually, your son would gain an anchor to which he can hold onto for when he does visit the surface. From what I understand, his attempts to break free of the chains of the Underworld are not in pursuit of absolute freedom, but in pursuit of an end goal.”

“One that would bring doom and war to our doorstep,” Lord Hades growled. 

_There it is,_ Vergil thought. _The war that Chaos wished me to prevent… The status quo must be shifted now._

“Should he be discovered,” Vergil added quickly before the pause in the conversation could last too long. “However, the gods will not be looking for my son. And should they become bonded, the energy of your son will change further, making him even more undetectable than before. The current veils that are protecting him will grow thicker, hiding him longer than before. It is beneficial to you both. He gets what he wants, more time on the surface, and you get what you want, once he realizes how bitter and cruel the surface truly is.”

Lord Hades sat back in his seat once more and stroked his beard in thought. Vergil took the moment to sip his wine and relax. He’d played all his cards, now it was the god of death’s turn. _Or is it the Fates?_ Vergil mused briefly, glancing to that window overlooking the city of the dead. His host spoke so suddenly and loudly that Vergil flinched.

“Do not think that it has gone beyond my notice who and what you are. Your previous visit may have appeared to be inconspicuous, but I knew you and your brother were here the moment you stepped foot from the Pool of Styx.” Now it was Vergil’s turn to look sheepish. He regained his posture quickly though, as Lord Hades continued to speak. “As such, returning to the topic of _what_ you are…” His eyes narrowed on Vergil. “I see what it is _I_ gain from this deal with a devil, but what do _you_ gain from it?”

His eyes lowered to the table. “There’s… a specific shade that I’m looking for…”


	22. Chapter 22

Coming home was far easier than getting to the Realm of Eternal Night to begin with. All Zag had to do was belly-flop into the nearest body of water and wait for the Styx to claim him. Eva offered a poison or to stab him, but Zag was tired enough that he knew if he let himself sink, he’d get there just as fast. 

And he was right.

Zag gasped for air out of reflex as he popped out of the pool, coughing a little. “I can still taste pond scum,” he grumbled as he trudged towards Hypnos for his ritual snarking. 

He stood up straight, though, when he noticed that Hypnos was talking with a girl Zag had never seen before. She was cute, in the same way that he found Dusa or Mort cute. The blue sash embroidered with gold that circled her waist marked her as property of Meg, which confused Zag even more. _When did Meg get her own servant? I know I’ve missed memos and meetings, but she would have at least_ **_said_ ** _something to me about it!_

The strange maiden noticed Zag and gave Hypnos a polite bob before approaching the prince. Behind her, Hypnos quickly drifted back to sleep. She bobbed to Zag in a demure curtsey, and kept her head down as she spoke to him. “Begging your pardon, prince, but Lord Hades wishes to speak to you.”

His brows furrowed at her further. Now he _knew_ she was new. Even Dusa was hesitant to address him directly, and often waited until he spoke to her first. _Either Nyx hasn’t properly trained this one yet, or Father’s need to see me was important enough that she was given permission to address me directly._ Zag rubbed his face with his hands. _One mystery at a time… and yet I can’t seem to find a solution to anything before another problem pops up…_

“First things first,” he said, holding his hands out as if to stop her and the world from continuing further. “Who are you, miss?”

“Oh! I’m -”

She stopped short at the sound of more splashing behind Zag. Her face lit up, and she gathered her skirts before another word could be spoken. His attention followed her as she ran past Zag in favor of the pool and the person stepping out of it. 

“Mr Dante!”

“Kyrie?”

The red-coated demon _had_ looked furious for a moment as he came trudging out of the pool, but at the sight of the maiden, his face became a mess of emotions. Joy, at seeing her Zag guessed, and then realization, as if he knew also that the maiden wasn’t supposed to be there, finally settling on a deep, overwhelming despair. The man let out a sound that was almost a wail, and Kyrie threw herself into him, her arms wrapping around his shoulders with such force he almost stumbled back into the Styx. Dante picked her up and swung her in a circle as he hugged her tightly, burying his face in her shoulder and neck. Even from where he stood, Zag could hear sniffling and thought it was her at first. But when Dante pulled away, his cheeks were red and his eyes were misty. He pushed her hair from her forehead. 

“I’m sorry…” Dante croaked with a voice still caught in tears, shaking his head. “ _Shit_ … I’m so sorry… If I’d been there… Where was Nero? Or Nico? _Fuck_ , where were the girls? I’m so sorry… I shouldn’t have left you alone… I should have been there…” 

“Oh Dante…” Kyrie cooed, touching his face with her hands. She smiled as she brought a corner of her sash to his face to dry his tears. “It’s okay… I’m… It was painless, I promise… The rubble… It all happened so quickly, I didn’t feel a thing…” The maiden shook her head. “It’s okay… I’m here now.”

He shook his head again. “Yeah, but… how? Why? Shouldn’t you be in Heaven or some shit? Why are you _here_?”

Kyrie shrugged, stepping back to smooth the wrinkles in her dress and adjust it on her shoulders a little. “My purpose… I suppose I’m still needed, and that’s why I haven’t been sent onwards. But, oh I’m so glad I stayed. Especially if it means I can see you and the others again.” 

“Speaking of others,” Dante sniffled, his serious expression returning. His attention turned to Zag. “Hey. You two have a chance to meet yet?”

“No, I just got back myself,” Zag replied with a weak half-grin. 

“Right. Kyrie, this is my friend…”

“Prince Zagreus, I know.”

“Wait, you…”

“But we haven’t been introduced.”

“Oh, I know! But Lady Nyx, Ms Dusa, Ms Meg… All of them have told me who you are and that I am to be as invisible as possible, and not to address you unless you first speak to me. Except in times of great importance, such as this.”

Dante sighed heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Zag, this is Kyrie. Aka best girl. Be nice to her, or I’ll chop you into so many pieces that even the Styx will take a week to put you back together. But, in the meantime…” His tired blue eyes turned to Kyrie. “Have you seen my _fucking_ idiot brother?”

“ _Language_ ,” she hissed. “But, yes, I have passed Mr Vergil quite a few times today. He’s in the lounge, waiting for the contractor to finish building appropriate chambers for him… er… you, I should say. You both.”

“What?”

Kyrie opened her mouth to speak, but perked, as if hearing something that they didn’t. She sighed and gave them a polite little bow. “Sorry, but I must be going. Oh! Prince Zagreus, your father is in his chambers.” She scurried off before either of them could stop her.

Both Dante and Zag blinked at her back. 

“Did she say somethin’ ‘bout chambers bein’ built?”

“Yes, I believe so…”

“ _Fuuuuck_ …”

“Do you think it has anything to do with what Father needs to see me about?”

“Knowin’ our luck? Yeah. Yeah, it probably does.”

Zag grumbled and growled, shaking his head. “I’ll catch up with you later,” he told Dante before heading towards his master at arms. “Achilles. My father wants a word with me?”

“Aye lad, that he does. This way.”

The prince had never been in his father’s private chambers, and while he’d normally relish the chance to bring his destructive message right to his father’s literal door, there was something stopping him. Was it because of the occasion? He couldn’t remember the last time he _ever_ had a “private” word with his father. Their discussions, no matter how private Hades _wanted_ them to be were usually out in the open in the grand foyer. And very quick. Unlike their physical battles, their verbal ones were short and indecisive. Sometimes Zag would walk away feeling victorious, other times, he would stomp off muttering under his breath. So he hesitated outside those chambers as Achilles returned to his post.

_What will it be this time, Father?_ Zag wondered. _Another argument and verbal lashing… or will we finally see eye-to-eye about this?_

Unsure of what to do, he knocked.

“ _Enter_ ,” came his father’s booming voice from the other side.

Shrugging, Zag pushed the door open and entered.

He didn’t know _what_ he was expecting out of his father’s bedchambers, but it certainly didn’t surprise him that there was a desk in the middle of it all, at which his father sat with a quill in hand and scroll draped across the table. Zag almost groaned and rolled his eyes. _Even at rest, he can’t stop working_. He squinted at the two goblets and jug of wine and the chair, at which Hades gestured for him to sit.

Zag sank into the guest chair and eyed the wine. 

“Help yourself,” Hades told him lowly, his attention still on his paperwork. 

The prince squinted at him. _Father_ **_never_ ** _lets me have his wine. What in the name of blood and darkness is going on?_ He took one of the goblets and noted that it still had wine already poured in. 

“Trying to poison me, Father?” Zag asked into the goblet, even as he sipped at it.

“You’ll have to forgive me for not getting you a clean goblet. I _have_ been busy, which is more than what you can claim.” Hades decisively struck his quill into an inkwell and sat up. “You’re engaged.”

Zag coughed, the wine stopping in his throat as if it had hit a rock he swallowed beforehand. He wiped the wine from his chin and patted his chest to clear his throat and lungs. The prince could _still_ taste pond water as he wheezed. He couldn’t have heard right.

“I’m _what_?” 

Hades clasped his hands in front of him, letting them hide his mouth from further view, as if his beard didn’t do that enough already. “You’re engaged. I’ve just completed an arrangement for your marriage to a Surface-dweller.”

His heart sank to the floor. “You… you can’t be serious… You…” Rage filled him suddenly, remembering his father’s taunts from before. “I’m not enough like you, is that it? I refuse to follow in your footsteps when it comes to running the household, so you’re forcing some poor woman into being my wife… To what end? To tame me? To talk me out of my rash behavior? If she’s a Surface-dweller, then she’s mortal. She’ll…” Realization slapped him like a cold slap in the face. “Oh no… Than… Father, please… You can’t do this! I have… I’m in… I already have…”

“I know about your affair with Thanatos,” Hades finished for him. “My opposite in this arrangement seemed to have no knowledge of it, and I chose to keep him in ignorance for concern it would change his mind. You may continue to keep him as a pet, if your new companion does not satisfy your impulses enough.” 

“My… my _impulses_?! Is that what you call it? Is that what you call my feelings for Thanatos? Just the hormonal drive of a young man?”

“You should be happy, boy. You’re getting exactly what you want.”

“Happy?! How can I be _happy_ when you’re sitting here playing with my life like it was a game?! And how is breaking Thanatos’s heart what I want?!”

“Sit and think about it for a moment. I’m sure even _you_ can piece together what would happen to you should you bond yourself to a Surface-dweller.”

Zag slumped further into his chair, rubbing his face with his hands. _What is he talking about? What does a bond have to do with anything? I can hardly withstand being on the surface for a full day, let alone live a life…_ His eyes went wide suddenly, and he met his father’s gaze. Hades slowly nodded, as if knowing and encouraging Zag’s train of thought. _But I wouldn’t be living a life up on the surface. I’m not trying to escape. I’m trying to bring Persephone down here. Being of her blood is what allows me to even leave this place… If I were to share a bond with someone like her, the way Father does…_

“So that’s my choice then,” Zag mumbled quietly. “Either I maintain my relationship with Thanatos, or I sacrifice it for the chance to spend more time up on the surface.” He swallowed hard. “How long?”

Hades shrugged. “Days… A week perhaps, depending on the strength of the bond you forge with this new companion of yours. It matters not to me. What matters is you. Is this not what you want? To spend your lifeforce foolishly gallivanting on the surface? To see _her_ for longer than just a few measly hours? And there is no choice. You could have both. There is nothing stating you _must_ relinquish your feelings for Thanatos. That is a matter between yourself, Thanatos, and…”

“And my betrothed…” He rubbed his face once more and let his hands come to rest in front of him. _As if in prayer… Who am I praying to? Not to him, that’s for sure… Just to anyone who would listen for an ounce of mercy…_

“It is for the best of the household. Since you lack any interest or capability of taking over for me, should the time come, this match of yours should adequately take _your_ place in the Administrative Chamber.”

“For the good of the household…” Zag had to chuff at that, shaking his head in disbelief. _This can’t be real… This can’t be happening… Not when I’m so close…_ “And who is this woman you’ve picked to be my match? Some weak-kneed quivering maiden?” He thought briefly to Kyrie and found himself grimacing in disgust. “Please, Father I beg…”

His father held up a hand to silence him. “ _He_ is a man named Nero.”

The name sounded vaguely familiar, but that didn’t stop Zag’s lips from curling further at the thought of an old, fat, insane tyrant. He shuddered at the thought. “And if I refuse?”

Hades’ eyes narrowed on his son. “ _That_ is just another foolish risk you’ll just have to test.”

_There is no choice then,_ Zag thought, hugging himself as he leaned on the desk. _I can say no until I’m blue in the face, but he’ll still drag me kicking and screaming before the altar. Hell, I wouldn’t put it past Hades to hold my face in his hands and make me say the words…_

“I refuse,” Zag stated, pushing himself up to his feet. He felt split in half, his mind still sitting down in disbelief while his body got up and swept an angry arm across Hades’ desk to spill its contents on the floor. The words didn’t even sound like his own. “I refuse… and if you _ever_ try to tell me how to live _my_ life again, you’ll find that my _stubbornness_ and my _foolishness_ has only just begun.”

His body dragged his mind away, storming from his father’s chambers with hot tears burning his cheeks. There was nowhere to run that his father could reach, and even as he ran, he heard Hades’ booming voice rumbling the house around them. _There is no escape_. 

Zag was halfway through Tartarus before his mind caught up to his body, and he roared as he fought, imagining every shade was his father, all the way up to Meg…

Who watched him crumble into an angrily sobbing mess.


	23. Chapter 23

Dante’s frustration at his brother returned by the time he stomped his way from the Pool of Styx to the lounge. He didn’t care who saw him, and he wasn’t even tempted to stop at the Cerberus to beg for petting privilege. The demon detective was focused on one thing, on one target, and he found Vergil right where Kyrie said he would be, in the lounge. His brother in blue was seated at the bar, again mesmerized by the head chef’s knife skills. Only this time, there was a goblet sitting in front of him. He bit back a groan of annoyance. _Great…_

Vergil turned his head in Dante’s direction as the younger twin seated himself beside his brother. The goblet of wine was moved between them, a silent offering for Dante to share if he so chose. 

“What happened to ‘no eating and drinking or else you’ll be stuck here forever’?”

“The situation has changed. And as far as I’m aware, that rule is bupkis.”

“Bupkis?”

“Bullshit.”

“Yeah, I know what it means. I’ve just never heard you say something so… _dumb_.”

“Certainly you have.”

“Yeah, no you’re right. Like what the fuck is going on? The answer to that is probably something dumb.”

Vergil chuffed, lowering his hands from his chin to take the goblet and a sip. “Shall we play twenty questions, brother? Or will you need less to deduce what has occurred?”

“How about you just fuckin’ tell me so we can skip the whole game thing?”

“You sound perturbed.”

“I’m not fuckin’ playin’, Verge. What are you doing here?”

“Having a drink, as you can clearly see.”

“Yeah, no shit you’re having a drink. But what are you doing _here_?”

“My… _Our_ room isn’t ready yet.”

“Our room.”

“Yes.”

Dante chuffed, shaking his head. “I can’t believe this… _Our_ room… What, you think you’re staying here?”

“For some time, yes.”

“Some time.”

“Yes.”

“Verge, how much have you had to drink?”

“Not enough,” his elder mumbled as he took another sip. 

His younger twin snatched it away from him and set the goblet as far out of Vergil’s reach as possible. Vergil growled and reached for it, but was stopped with a palm against his face. He got out of his seat to try to grab for it, but Dante, used to this game from their childhood, knew how to keep his brother from getting what he wanted.

“Give me my drink back!”

“No way! You’ve had enough to drink, and we need to fuckin’ talk!”

“Give it back, Dante!”

“You’ll get your drink back when you answer my fuckin’ questions!”

“I _am_ answering your questions you ill-mannered, bull-headed, uncultured _scum_!”

“Why did you come back to the Underworld?”

“To find answers!”

“Answers? Like what? What’s the answer to life, the universe, and everything? Spoiler alert, it’s forty-two. Now stop this cryptic bullshit and tell me what the fuck’s going on!”

“I know where mother is!”

Dante stared at him. “You _what_?”

Vergil stepped out of his grip to smooth out his clothes. “I know where mother is. Where we must go in the Underworld if we wish to see her.”

He swallowed hard, shaking his head. Dante couldn’t even find the words to describe the mess he was feeling. Joy, rage, confusion… “Verge… How…” His brows furrowed as he remembered the image of the gate Vergil had jumped through. “What sort of twisted deal did you make to find all this out?”

His brother’s attention went past Dante, who turned in his seat to face Kyrie as she bobbed her head to them. “Mr Vergil… The house contractor sent me to tell you that your room is ready…” 

“That was fast… Thank you, Ms Kyrie.” Vergil grabbed his goblet of wine to finish in two chugs. He tried to hold back a wheeze that eventually coughed itself free from his lungs. _How many years and he still can’t hold his liquor?_ Dante wondered. After a few moments, Vergil found his breath to speak steadily. “Kindly show us the way.” He gave Dante a stern glare. “We can continue our conversation in private.”

Dante waited until Kyrie had bowed to them once more and turned her back to lead the way before he flipped off his brother. 


	24. Dante/Vergil: 2

Hands shoved in his pockets, Dante silently trailed after Kyrie and Vergil, fuming. He resisted the urge to kick loose stones or knock aside vases that they passed; taking his frustration out on the furniture didn’t work when he was seven, so why should it work now? Kyrie stopped at an unmarked door and handed Vergil a key from her sash pouch. She dismissed herself without a further word. 

The twins glanced at one another. 

“What’re you lookin’ at _me_ for?”

Vergil shook his head. “Nothing… Nevermind…”

“What? Were you gonna ask how they built an entire room in such a short time?”

“Well… yes, actually.”

He rolled his eyes. “Underworld dead magic. C’mon. Let’s get inside.”

“You seem suddenly enthusiastic.”

“Not gonna lie, but I’m curious what kind of pad the god of the dead gives his guests.”

The elder twin pressed his lips together, and Dante realized immediately that he’d hit a nerve. He didn’t press the issue, though, and let Vergil unlock the door to let them inside. Candles burned around the room, giving it a gothic, mysterious feel. There was a sitting area immediately by the door. Further on through another doorway was the bedroom proper, and then a bathroom through another door. Everything was furnished in either navy blue trimmed with gold or blood red and silver. Dante squinted at his brother.

“This room is tacky as shit.”

“Yes, well… The house contractor did the best he could, considering… Our styles don’t exactly blend together nicely. And I felt it would be inappropriate to use the royal purple and gold of our father.”

“Well, you’re not wrong there…”

Dante sighed heavily, watching as Vergil removed his coat to hang in a closet by the door. _Yamato_ in hand, his elder went about inspecting their chambers. The younger twin went straight to the bedroom, tossed his coat onto a corner of the bed and flopped in it. The bed was so nice, he’d almost forgotten _why_ he was angry with Vergil in the first place. He started to sit up out of bed, but stopped short as Vergil came in. 

Vergil sat on the edge of the bed, his back to Dante. 

“What did you do, Verge?” Dante asked. He could almost guess. “With chambers this nice… you’re what? Gonna spend half the year here?”

“No, I should hope not,” Vergil replied with a chuff.

He sighed heavily, getting up on his knees to crawl to Vergil. Dante hugged his brother’s shoulders and kissed his cheek. “I promise, I won’t be mad.”

“Somehow I doubt that…” 

Vergil grabbed his hand and brought Dante’s palm to his lips to kiss. He gently bit the glove over Dante’s hand and peeled it off, then touched his lips to skin, kissing the scar he had left behind so many years ago. He pulled on his brother, moving him as he kissed his way up Dante’s arm, to the inside of his elbow, and then up his bicep. A gentle hand cradled the back of Dante’s neck, pulling him into a soft, sweet kiss. Dante purred as he pressed himself into that kiss, letting it go from chaste to intense. His hand cupped Vergil’s face briefly, then slid down his neck to his vest, where he blindly fumbled at undoing the buttons that covered the hidden zipper. 

“You really gonna make me fuck you into confessin’?” Dante asked with a grin against Vergil’s lips. “Or do you need me to reassure you that you ain’t in trouble that badly?”

“A little of both,” Vergil replied, smirking a little as well. 

“Alright then. We can do that. Break this bed in properly.”

His twin chuckled lowly in his chest. Dante gave him a last soft kiss before getting up out of bed to undress. “What do they got for lube around here? Olive oil?”

A quiet chuff was his answer, and he glanced over his shoulder to see Vergil laying on his stomach, half naked already with his ankles crossed as he rummaged through a bedside table. From it he pulled a spherical bottle of thick amber liquid, corked and decorated with a purple ribbon. He held it back behind him for Dante to grab and inspect while he continued his search in the drawer.

“The fuck is this?”

“I don’t know… I can’t seem to find condoms either.”

Dante made a face of disapproval, popping the cork of the bottle. 

“I’ve got a condom in my wallet, if you can find it. We’ll have to add a box of condoms and a bottle of good lube to our list of shit to bring with us for our next visit.” 

He brought the bottle to his nose and sniffed. A wave of warmth went through his whole body, starting from his nose and ending at his toes. Dante staggered. 

“The fuck…” 

He tilted the bottle to pour a drop onto his fingers. His skin felt like it was getting warmer where the substance touched, and it was thick like gel. As Dante rubbed it between his fingers, he felt the warmth spread. Curious, he brought a finger to his lips to taste and nearly moaned from it. The liquid was sweet, like concentrated honey, but had a richer flavor, like chocolate and caramel mixed together. The warmth that had been just on his skin now ran down his tongue and throat, and _something_ hit him like a good shot of whiskey. His finger still felt coated in the stuff even after licking some of it off.

“Dante… what is it?”

“Fuckin’ Heaven in a water bottle,” Dante replied, handing the bottle over.

“It’s ‘Heaven in a wild flower’,” Vergil grumbled as he took it. “Learn your poetry, you classless oaf.” 

Dante finished getting undressed under his brother’s hungry gaze. The elder finally gave the contents of the bottle a sniff and jolted back in surprise. 

“What…” 

Like Dante, he poured some onto a finger, felt it against his thumb and rubbed it on his skin, and like Dante, brought it to his tongue to taste. He laid beside Vergil in time to see the surprise and ecstasy in his twin’s eyes. Dante grinned and took the bottle, setting it on the nightstand. He laid over Vergil enough to kiss him, his tongue sliding into his brother’s mouth to taste the nectar once more. 

“Dante… we must be careful… that… that substance is no ordinary…”

“It’s fuckin’ _ambrosia_ , Verge.”

“I wouldn’t go _that_ far as to say that’s what it is…”

Dante rolled his eyes and kissed Vergil harder. His brother moaned at the passionate kiss, his body arching up into Dante for _more_. A hand went down to Vergil’s groin, cupping him over his pants to grope and fondle. The body beneath him arched again, writhing to be _touched_ more. He couldn’t help but chuckle in his throat, pulling away. 

“Aren’t you supposed to be the one toppin’ this time?”

“I’m… in a mood…”

“Yeah? Kinda figured, since you’re wigglin’ your ass like a needy little brat.”

“Mmm, what are you going to do about it, Dante? Spank me?”

The younger twin grinned, and without warning, he moved. Vergil flailed against him as Dante sat back onto his butt and pulled his brother into his lap. A hand came down hard on Vergil’s ass, and he yelped and blushed. 

“Let’s see…” Dante cooed as he rubbed the spot he had just smacked. “That one was for makin’ a mess in the library.” He raised his hand and slapped his brother’s ass again. “That one’s for jumpin’ down a _fuckin’_ portal into nowhere without callin’ me first!”

“I would have called you if I’d had all my senses then,” Vergil excused between gasps. His blush crept from his face down his neck. “I was at war with myself. My research was going nowhere and -!”

He yelped once more as Dante spanked him again. “Gee, Verge, I’m hearin’ a lot of excuses from you today…” Dante lifted his arms to let Vergil roll out of his lap. He grinned at Vergil’s half-hearted glare. “Take off your pants so I can fuck and spank you.”

“I _don’t_ like following orders,” Vergil protested as he got out of bed. “ _Especially_ yours.” 

“And yet here you are,” Dante purred, watching Vergil’s pants lower to the floor. He met his lover as Vergil climbed back into bed, kissing his lips in a quick peck. “Hands and knees. Brace yourself on the bed. I’m gonna fuck yuh ‘til you cry.”

“What is that saying of yours?” Vergil asked with a smirk. “‘Devils never cry’ or something of that nature?”

“You _really_ want to be spanked today…” Dante murmured as he sat back, watching Vergil get into position. 

Despite all of Vergil’s protests, Dante could see his twin’s hard cock, and the bead of pre that adorned his crown. One of his asscheeks was a pale pink from the three previous spankings. He grinned to himself and kissed the small dip at the base of Vergil’s spine. His hands ran along Vergil’s thighs and sides as he kissed his way up Vergil’s back, to his shoulder. He pressed his body to Vergil’s, felt the warmth of his brother’s body against his own. Vergil shuddered against him, as if feeling Dante’s thick cock between his cheeks. 

“Has someone been a bad boy?” Dante asked with a grin. 

“Y-yes…” Vergil confessed shakily. 

“Does someone need to be punished?”

“Yes…”

“Does someone want my hard co-”

“For _fucks_ sake, Dante! Enough chatter and fuck me properly. _Blood and darkness_ , you’re absolutely _awful_ at this!”

“Blood and darkness? That’s a new one,” Dante laughed as he reached for the bottle of nectar and coated his fingers in the stuff. 

For a brief moment, he worried that it might burn his lover, but the melting moan that escaped Vergil’s chest as those slick fingers slid into him was reassuring enough to continue. Dante continued to kiss his shoulder as Vergil sighed and relaxed underneath him. The elder was braced on the headboard of the bed, and for a brief moment, Dante wished it had bars so they could practice tying each other up. _Next time,_ he thought with a grin, pulling his fingers out. Vergil whined.

“Easy, Verge… Lemme get lubed up, and then you’ll be feelin’ good, I promise… _Shit_ …” The nectar on his cock felt like he’d dipped himself into the mouth of the best blower in the universe. Dante had to bite his cheek to keep from moaning out loud. He licked his lips and tried to steady his voice, but he sounded drunk on pleasure even to himself. “Ready?”

Vergil could only nod. His arms were shaking already.

Dante guided himself in, getting the crown in first before he shifted his grip to Vergil’s hips. Slowly he pushed in, but even Dante felt the difference. “ _Fuck,_ Vergil… Either this shit’s magic, or you’re _really_ in the mood today…”

“Let’s _aaah…_ let’s just say it’s bo- _mmm_ … it’s both… Espee _aah_ sially if it means… you’ll… you’ll fuck me harder already…” Vergil glanced over his shoulder at his twin. “Go on… Put your back into it…”

A swift spank on Vergil’s tender ass wiped that smirk away real fast. Dante gripped him by his hips and rolled his own, thrusting into Vergil all the way. He felt himself hit that sweet spot, and he felt Vergil shudder against him. Feeling that body pull him in more, Dante continued. He picked up his pace gently, going from teasing slowness to a rhythmic hump that made the bed creak. If Vergil got to be too quiet for his liking, Dante would give him another spank, just to hear him yelp and moan. 

Somewhere in the haze of fucking, Dante imagined Zagreus again. He imagined that it was the prince’s waist he was holding onto, that it was Zag’s soft ass that he was pounding into and smacking, that it was Zag’s moans that filled the air like music. Dante let his lips part to groan at the idea, at that sweet mental image. 

Just like before, he felt Vergil come first, the body against his tightening and gripping him and _sucking_ him in further. Dante fumbled forward, grabbing onto the headboard as well as he came, pulsing against Vergil and into him. He nearly collapsed into his brother, but Dante stopped himself. Instead, he pulled out gently and helped Vergil lay down on the bed, on his stomach. Dante gently laid on top of him, blanketing his brother in his warmth and his body. He could feel Vergil’s muscles twitching against his own all over his body. He brought Vergil’s knuckles to his lips to kiss.

“Nero…” Vergil mumbled the name so quietly that Dante almost didn’t hear.

“Hm?”

“You asked earlier… what twisted deal I made to learn of mother’s whereabouts… and the answer is… I gave Nero to be married to Zagreus…”

Dante groaned, bonking his forehead on Vergil’s shoulder.

“Dante? What is it?”

“Fuckin’ awkward…”

“Awkward?”

“Verge… we _both_ want to fuck Zag, and now you’re givin’ him to Nero! Couldn’t you at least _wait_ until he turned us down first?” 

“You’re… not angry?”

“I’m not the one you’ve gotta convince,” Dante told him with a chuff. He kissed Vergil’s shoulder then rolled onto his side so the two could face one another. “Verge… Kyrie just _died_ … You _really_ think Nero’s goin’ to be willin’ to remarry so soon, especially to a stranger, just like that?” 

“Truthfully, Dante… I didn’t realize they were married in the first place.”

Since Nero wasn’t there to beat Vergil with a pillow, Dante grabbed one and did it for his absent nephew.


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s Note - okay, i’ll admit it. I’m kind of cheating in places. There are some segments in the story that uses dialogue from the game. So once again, if you don’t want the game to be spoiled for you, STOP READING!

Zag’s entire body _hurt_ , as if he had been dragged literally through the Underworld. In a sense, he _had_ been. Between hearing the heartbreaking news of his future and having to physically claw his way out of the Underworld, Zag was _exhausted_. His whole body felt as if it weighed heavier than all the iron and steel in his father’s household, and lifting his burning feet just enough to trudge further felt as if it took all of his remaining strength. 

He was so tired, so drained that when he saw the sunlight through the trees, when he saw Persephone in her garden, he let out a desperate mewl, a sound that was a whine and a groan and a plea for mercy. The sound startled her, and she came up to him, catching him before he could hit the ground too hard. His blood stained her dress and his sweat dirtied her skin, but still Zag leaned against her. 

“Mother…” Zag wheezed. “I… I have so much to talk to you about…” 

“And I have so much to say to you too…” Persephone held him close to her, shielding him from the burning sun. “Oh Zagreus… Your cheeks are red and your eyes are puffy… Did you cry all through your journey?”

“I… I did…” 

“Then perhaps what I have to say will come easier to you…”

“M… mother?”

She flinched and went still against him as something flew overhead, casting a shadow over them. The shape was too fast, too blurry for Zag to get a good look at it. He felt her holding her breath, as if waiting for something to happen, and she only let go of that breath when nothing at all happened after several heartbeats.

“When… when you leave this place again… when the Styx takes you home… Do not come back, Zagreus. For the sake of us both, and for the sake of all that we hold dear, do not come back to visit me again.”

“No… not now, please…” Zag whined, trying to struggle his way out of her arms to face her, but his attempts felt weak, even to him. “I need your help… You can’t be serious… You can’t be taking _Father’s_ side on all this… not when I need you…”

“I am.” Her voice was as firm as stone, and her comforting hold on him lost all softness. She was just another statue holding him, just another pillar to lean on in the lifeless world around him. Zag stared at her through his eyelashes, and even her face was set with determination. “Your father is no fool when it comes to matters regarding the Olympians. And besides… all that has happened… it’s my fault. And now both sides of our family threaten to tear each other apart because of my selfishness.”

He gulped, nearly gagging on air from the pain in his chest and throat, as if someone, _something_ , gripped him by the heart and squeezed. “Mother please… I need you…” His anger at her words was barely enough to light a fire in him. “Are… Are you saying that you regret this? That you regret Father… that you regret _me_? Please…” Zag couldn’t feel his legs, and he knew he didn’t have much longer. It hurt even to breathe. “What makes you so sure they’ll find us now?”

She sighed heavily, and he felt her fingers comb through his bangs, brushing them aside so she could see his face better. Zag tried to meet her eyes, but his vision was so blurry that she looked as if she had a golden aura around her. 

“Nyx veiled me from detection long ago when I fled the Underworld, and her power may be what is hiding you from the Olympians’ notice. But her magic isn’t all-powerful. And you yourself have reached to the gods for assistance through their gifts of boons and favors. Each time you visit me, you are incurring risk.” She tried to smile as she cradled him in her arms. He wanted to reach to touch her hair, but found he couldn’t move his arms. “You must be lucky every night to hide from the hungry wolf, but a wolf needs only to be lucky once to find you… I’m sorry… But for the both of us… Go home, Zagreus. Please.”

“Go home _with_ me, Mother!” Zag begged. “You came here thinking that you had lost me… I haven’t fought my way to you, again and again, just for you to turn me away now. I need you… I need you in my life. I need you to help me with Father. Please… how can you just…” He thought he’d cried out all his tears in Asphodel, but he felt them dripping down his cheeks, felt them make her clothes wet where he touched her shoulder. “How can you turn me away like this?”

“Oh Zagreus…” Persephone sighed his name. She touched her fingers to his cheek, wiping away his tears where her sash didn’t collect them already. His mother shook her head. “I… I cannot return… After all that happened, with Hades, with the household… with me… I can’t even begin to imagine… And besides… if Olympus were to discover me here, the worst that would happen would be that I was dragged back home. But for them to discover me in the Underworld? With you?”

“Then…” Zag grunted in pain. He was starting to learn the names of his organs as they stopped functioning entirely. That time, he was certain it was his kidneys. Breathing felt like his chest was filled with pins and needles. His lungs and heart would be the next to go, and then he would melt away into the Styx. “You’re just… going to stay here? Alone? In this little garden… forever? Without… without me… or Cerberus… or Father… After everything we’ve been through…”

Persephone smiled sadly, and even in his own blurry vision, he could see the mist in her eyes. _Strong as she is… this is hurting her too…_

“My son… You’ve fought long and hard, endured obstacles that would shatter weaker souls. And I’m forever grateful to have finally met you… But yes… This is my home now, just as the Underworld is yours… Please, for the protection of us both… do not return.” She kissed his forehead. “I love you, Zagreus. Good-bye.”

“Wait, no…” 

The waves of the Styx crashed over him before he could get another word out. All sense of feeling in the rest of his body rushed into sudden numbness. His vision went black, and he felt the moment his heart stopped. And just as quickly as he lost all sensation, it all came back. The splash of cool, bloody water over his whole body, the heavy weight of his armor, and the liquid that filled his lungs. 

He surfaced from the Pool of Styx with a gasp, but didn’t come wading out just yet. Zag closed his eyes and let himself float on his back, but the weight of his armor dragged him down under once more. _If I drown in the Pool of Styx, where will it take me?_

Zag didn’t have long to wonder before he felt arms reaching into the waters to grab him, pulling him up and out of the Styx. Even with his eyes closed, he knew those hands and arms. His body was still limp and numb from the transition from life to death to life again, and Zag didn’t have the energy or will to fight Thanatos as his boyfriend carried Zag in his arms out of the pool. He didn’t listen for a quip from Hypnos or make one in return, turning his head into Than’s shoulder. A quiet whine caught in his throat, and he tugged on Than’s clothes to pull him down into a kiss. 

It was a soft, slow kiss at first. But as Zag remembered his father’s words, remembered the painful choice he’d soon be forced to make, Zag whimpered again and kissed his boyfriend harder. What was once a chaste kiss became a desperate one, a kiss filled with words unsaid and emotions too massive for poetry. Again, Zag had thought he had cried all the tears that were bottled inside him, but as before, more spilled down his face and burned his cheeks anew. Breathing, between the kiss and his snot-filled nose, became impossible, but he didn’t want to stop kissing Than. _If I let go of him, he’ll disappear… The way he always does… before I can say anything…_

The prince felt the flash and the change in air around them, and before he could ask where Than poofed them, he was being laid in his comfortable bed. Than started to pull away, but Zag caught him, clutched at his clothes and held on. He heard a soft chuff.

“My needy prince,” Than murmured, kissing Zag’s forehead. Cool fingers combed through his hair, pushing away Zag’s laurels and tossing them aside. He tilted Zag’s head enough to kiss him again, just long enough to taste his boyfriend before breaking the kiss so Zag could breathe. “I’m here, Zag. Talk to me. What has made you like this?”

Zag shook his head. “I…” He coughed, his throat feeling dry and scratchy from all his crying. Than reached over his head, but Zag grabbed his arm before his boyfriend could grab the bottle of nectar he kept there. “Water…” 

Than nodded and kissed his forehead. “I’ll be right back.”

“Promise?”

“I promise.”

Reluctantly, Zag let go of him. He felt and heard Than get up and leave, poofing away to the lounge across the hall. In his absence, Zag rolled over and grabbed the pillow Than used when he stayed before and held it, burying his face in the fabric. It faintly smelled like Than, like sandalwood and incense, like the altars to the dead all across the surface and the offerings burning in their bowls. He heard the pop and sizzle of air as Than returned, felt the bed bend as he sat down beside Zag, felt those cool fingers touch his shoulder to roll Zag onto his back. He helped his boyfriend sit up, and the goblet of water was cold in Zag’s hands. After a few sips, he brought it to his forehead, then changed his mind and grabbed Than’s hand. He heard a small chuff beside him as he pressed Than’s palm to his forehead.

“You’re warm.”

“I’m tired…”

“You’ve had a very trying time as of late.”

Zag chuffed. “That’s putting it gently…” 

The palm on his forehead moved to cup his cheek, Than’s thumb brushing across Zag’s lips. “What do you need from me? Talk to me, Zag… What can I do for you?”

His eyes hurt. He wanted to cry, felt that _now_ was the time to be doing so, with Than right there to comfort him. But the tears he wanted wouldn’t come. As if the gods themselves had grabbed him and wrung him out, Zag felt dry and empty. 

“Just… hold me…” Zag finally whispered. “Stay with me… please…” 

Than nodded against him. He kissed Zag’s forehead and unbuckled Zag’s pauldron, removed his belt, and tossed away the heavy greaves. His own armor and ornaments were removed as well, and when Than came back to lay against Zag, there was no metal keeping them apart, no sharp edges to poke or prod. Only the softness of cloth against cloth, the comfort of skin against skin. His eyes watered as Zag tucked his head against his boyfriend’s chest, under Than’s chin.

“I thought I was done crying…”

“Your sorrow must be great, for you to cry so openly in front of me.”

“Why would I hide it from you?”

Than’s shoulder moved in a shrug. 

“Father…” Zag gulped. “Mother… Blood and darkness, where do I even _start_?”

Cool lips touched his forehead, and Zag closed his eyes to feel Than’s lips kiss each eyelid softly. His deathly skin felt good against Zag’s flushed face. He didn’t feel the puffiness his mother had commented on, but his skin felt burned and tender, and Than’s kiss felt all the more refreshing and soothing. 

His voice was a whisper in Zag’s ear. “Then say nothing, Zag… If it is all you can do, all the strength you have to do, then say nothing and let your body speak for you…”

No sooner had Than finished speaking did Zag’s throat clench and the tears burn his eyes once more. He clung to Than so tightly that he felt his nails bite into his own palm, even through the cloth. Zag whined as he sobbed. His thoughts were a jumbled mess as his emotions flashed inside him like light dancing from a prism, broken into a thousand colors on a blank wall. He was enraged with his father, disappointed in his mother, in despair over Than, ashamed of the things said to Meg… Zag wanted to tear his skin from his body and set free all those emotions and thoughts and feelings and…

Than caught one of his hands and kissed Zag’s knuckles. “You’re hurting yourself,” he murmured quietly. As his hand opened, unfurled like the petals from a blooming flower, Than kissed his fingertips. “Please stop… please don’t…”

“I don’t want to be whole,” Zag mumbled, his voice shaking in his throat. “I’m hurting so much… I don’t want to be in this body…”

His boyfriend moved slowly, his hands gentle against Zag’s body. Than rolled him onto his back and kissed his lips softly. And then his cheek. And then his neck. And then across Zag’s collarbone. 

Zag made a small sound and tried to shrug Than’s lips away. 

Death Incarnate smiled a little. “What was that?”

“Tickled,” Zag complained. 

He tilted his head at Zag, his hands stroking up and down the prince’s muscled chest and stomach. “Would you rather it felt like something else?”

“Like what?”

Than didn’t answer with words immediately. Instead he leaned over Zag and kissed his lips again. It was a burning, hungry kiss that left Zag gasping for air. “Pleasure or pain?” Than asked against Zag’s lips.

“Pleasure… Please, Than… I don’t want to hurt anymore… I’m tired of hurting…” 

“Anything for you, Zagreus… Anything…”


	26. Zag/Than: 3

Zag laid still as Than undressed him, closing his eyes at the coolness of hands against his body. He lifted his shoulders to let Than push the cloth away, smiling a little at the feeling of Than’s lips against his skin. He sat up a little to let Than pull his clothes out from under him, and even lifted his hips to let Than undress his legs. The first time they had done this, explored each other intimately, Zag had been shy. Nervous. But now? He lost count of how many times they’d lain with each other. Now he didn’t try to hide himself, didn’t try to cover his body from Than’s gaze. 

Or his hands.

For being Death Incarnate, Than’s hands were always soft, always gentle. Zag felt rough and calloused in comparison. He felt like the sand to Than’s satin. And now, Than’s hands did more than just glide against his skin. He squeezed Zag’s flesh, kneaded muscle with knowing thumbs and fingers. Than straddled his boyfriend’s hips, much to Zag’s surprise, but he was still clothed and uninterested in coupling… for the moment. Right now, though, Than’s focus was on Zag’s arm. His squeezing, kneading, _massaging_ fingers started at Zag’s neck and shoulder, and worked their way along his arm. 

He stopped for a moment, laying Zag’s arm across his chest while Than reached above them for the bottle of nectar. The prince heard the popping of the cork, but didn’t crack his eye open as he smelled the aroma of the warmly spiced liquid wafting from nearby. He could guess what Than was doing. Than’s slick hands confirmed his suspicion, and Zag moaned from the contrast of Than’s cool flesh and the nectar’s intoxicating warmth. Wherever Than touched, the sparking coolness and the blooming warmth seeped into Zag’s muscles, not just into his skin. By the time Than had reached his wrist and hand, Zag’s arm felt like coagulated blood; a quivering, useless, gelatinous mess. 

Than hummed softly, laying Zag’s arm over his head before moving on to Zag’s other shoulder and arm. The prince didn’t recognize the song or the tune, and it could be that there was none at all. He didn’t have the strength to ask, and he didn’t want to startle Than into silence. 

Not only that, Zag didn’t want Than to _stop_. 

With all his strength fought and cried out of him, Zag was helpless to the whims of his boyfriend, who now worked on his chest and sides. He could barely squeak and wiggle as his sides were playfully pinched, peeking from between his eyelashes to see Than sharing his grin. His eyes closed once more as Than leaned in to kiss his lips softly, and Zag nearly whined as Than scooted back to work his hands down Zag’s thigh. He pulled Zag’s leg into his lap, his nectar-oiled hands rubbing warmth and pleasure into his tired muscles. Than even kissed the top of his knee as his hands worked the stiffness from Zag’s calf. 

He finished with one leg and moved on the bed to pull the other into his lap. Than chuckled to himself. “You haven’t fallen asleep on me, have you?”

“Nm-mm,” Zag mumbled, shaking his head. “Still awake… barely…” 

“Good… because I still have your other side to do.”

Zag laughed weakly. “I’m not going to be able to move if you keep this up.”

“That’s the idea.” Than let go of his leg to hover over Zag. The prince strained to lift his head and meet Than’s lips, but his boyfriend pulled away before their lips could touch. _Teasing_ him with the _almost_ of the kiss. “To have you nothing but a shaking, gasping mess in your bed… like soft clay in my hands… Able to do nothing but feel and beg for more…”

A cold shiver went down his whole body, sparking in his groin at Than’s whispered words. 

Finally Than’s lips pressed into his, kissing Zag so hard that he felt like he was sinking into the bed. Than’s body laid against his, _blanketed_ his body, _eclipsed_ his body in cool comfort, even through the layer of nectar massaged into his skin. His arms felt like he was swimming in the thick liquid as he brought them around Than’s shoulders to hold onto that kiss, to hold onto his boyfriend for as long as he could. But in his relaxed, weakened state, Zag couldn’t fight his boyfriend’s stronger hands as Than ran them against his arms and pushed them off of him. His strong grip pinned Zag’s arms to the bed as they kissed, his body arching into Than’s for more. 

He was gasping for breath by the time Than ended their kiss, and he felt that his whole face and body was glowing with the same orange fire that his feet were blessed with. Than smiled at him and let go, getting up off of Zag just enough to gently roll the prince onto his stomach. 

When Than came back to sit on Zag’s ass, he knew that Than was naked. He didn’t feel cloth brushing against his leg or thigh; only Than’s skin. Zag blushed into the pillow at the thought, and he moved his hips just a little to confirm. _Yup, that’s a cock against my ass…_

Than leaned over him to whisper in his ear. “Not yet.” He gave Zag’s shoulder a quick kiss before sitting up and oiling his hands once more. 

Zag moaned as those hands ran up his back. Than applied pressure, and he felt pops all the way up his spine. His boyfriend stroked and kneaded his back for a few minutes before coming up to his shoulders and neck, and then along one arm again. After a few minutes with that, Than worked on his other arm. And then his attention returned to Zag’s back, massaging down his back and sides, to his ass. 

His bright blush returned as he buried his face in his pillow. Than pulled him up by his ass onto his shaking knees. 

“You really have no strength in you,” Than murmured from somewhere above him. 

“Someone’s damn good with his hands.”

He chuckled quietly, and Zag could feel the cool glass of the nectar as Than set it on the bed next to his knee. 

“No, really Than… Where did you learn to do that? Meg couldn’t have taught you.”

“Let’s just say that working alongside Lord Ares comes with its perks…”

“ _Ares_ taught you?”

“No. Working with him allowed me to come into contact with Lord Dionysus, who was more than pleased to assist in teaching me. Especially once he learned the object of my affection was you. Bringing relaxation and peace to Lord Ares was, to put it gently, a final examination of my studies.”

“You _massaged_ Ares?”

Zag yelped and moaned as nectar-coated fingers touched him in that soft spot between his cheeks. He shuddered, one of those fingers toying with him. 

“Can we not talk about that right now, Zagreus?” 

“ _Hah_ … And what _do_ you want to talk about?”

He nearly melted as a finger worked its way inside him. Than kissed his shoulder and whispered in his ear. “I’d rather not talk at all. I’d rather just hear you moan…”

The prince purred at that, gasping and moaning as he felt Than finger him and tease him with his slick touch. Each touch of those fingers against that sweet spot inside him made that bubble of pleasure grow in Zag’s loins. And Than didn’t just poke or prod at him. His boyfriend had mastered the art of stroking him inside, and though the touches were short, each one felt like Than was running a finger down his spine. His already weak knees shook more, and his skin, warmed with the nectar, became flushed with a rekindled fire. 

Zag buried his face in his pillow to muffle his moans. Firm fingers bunched up his hair and yanked him up, making him moan even louder. 

“No hiding from me, Zagreus,” Than purred in his ear. “I meant what I said… I want to hear you moan.”

Those tempting fingers pulled out of him, leaving Zag half-way to an orgasm that he ached to reach. As Than prepared himself behind him, Zag pushed his pillow away, bracing himself on his elbows. Hands slick and warm with fresh nectar slid over his hips and sides, pulling Zag into a better angle. He felt Than guide himself in with one hand, and once the crown was in, both hands went to Zag’s thighs. 

As promised, Zag moaned heatedly as Than thrust into him so slowly that he could count each inch. Every time they fucked, Than felt _bigger_ than before. He knew it wasn’t _possible,_ but Zag couldn’t deny the sensation of being _filled_ by his boyfriend’s heat. Zag whined as Than started to pull out, even though he knew the song and dance by heart. His mewl of desperation turned into a moan of pure ecstasy as Than thrust in again, faster this time. His cock, slick with nectar, moved easily inside him. Zag blindly flailed ahead of him, reaching for something to brace himself on and found only the shelf. 

He felt the coolness of Than’s chest against his back as his boyfriend leaned over him, heard the soft huff of his breath in his ear. Than’s hands guided him up enough that Zag could turn his head and kiss Than between thrusts. The spicy smell of the nectar on Than’s hands filled his lungs, making him warm inside and out. Everything washed over him, pushing him into that crashing wave of pleasure as he climaxed. Zag gasped and shuddered, his body twitching in a hundred different places as he spilled himself onto his bed. Than sat back and gave him a few more good, strong humps before he came as well, his fingers digging into Zag’s thighs. 

Zag was dizzy from it all, his body as limp and weak as wet cloth. Than pulled out of him and guided him, laying Zag down on his side. He grabbed a sheet, kicked aside earlier, and pulled it up to their waists as he laid down with his boyfriend. They weren’t pressed chest to chest, the sacred space between them crossed only by a lazy arm and an idle hand that laid at the base of Zag’s spine, in that little sensitive dip. Light fingers drew circles in his skin as he slowly came down from his orgasm. 

When Zag finally had a grasp on his breath, he whispered, “What are you thinking about?”

“You,” Than answered without hesitation. His eyes couldn’t stay in one place, fluttering like butterflies over Zag’s face and body. “Are you… ready to talk about what happened?”

The prince swallowed hard. _I almost forgot… Everything felt so good…_ With a reluctant nod, he croaked, “Yeah.”

Than shuffled closer. Zag lifted his head to accommodate Than’s arm as the other went around his waist. The prince tucked in easily in his boyfriend’s chest, as if the two had been molded together when they were first created, only to be separated later. 

“Father…” His throat clenched again, but Zag had to push through. _I have to tell him_. “Father… wants me… Father’s _arranged_ for me to marry someone else… and Mother… when I went to ask her for help… for advice… she… she told me to leave… and to never go back…”

He was quiet as he listened and for a few moments after as he collected his thoughts. “And what do you plan to do next?”

“I don’t know,” Zag whined. “I’m going back to the Surface. I’m not giving up on Mother. And I’m not giving up on you either. I don’t care what Father decrees, I’m not marrying some… some _stranger_ just to make _him_ feel better about his bloody empire…”

“If you are so determined to go against your father’s wishes, then why are you so sad?”

“Because I’m afraid… I’m afraid that I might not have a choice… That Father will do something to you if I don’t do as he says… Or that I’ll have to choose between you or my mother… and it hurts my heart to even think about…”

“What would you gain from this arrangement?”

“Father says that being married to a Surface-dweller means I’ll be granted more time on the surface.”

Than’s eyes narrowed in thought, but to Zag’s immense despair, his boyfriend nodded. “Yes… I can see that logic. The bond of lifeforce shared…” 

“I don’t know what to do, Than… I _want_ more time on the surface… I _want_ more time with _her_ … but if it means giving up on you…”

“Do you want me to tell you what to do? What I _think_ you should do?”

Zag nodded.

“Are you certain you want to hear it?”

He swallowed hard, but nodded again. 

Than brought his hand to Zag’s face, brushing his bangs away to get a better look into those mismatched eyes. 

“If it will help you in your quest… if it will truly assist you in reaching your mother and spending more time with her… then I think you should go along with your father’s wishes to marry this stranger…”

Zag choked, as if Than had reached into his chest and ripped out his heart. “Than… what… what are you saying?”

“Listen to me, Zagreus…” Than’s own gold eyes seemed to sparkle in the candlelight of his room. “Your father… Lord Hades may not be the kindest or warmest of people… but he means well. Even you can’t deny that he runs a tight administration. And if marrying is for the good of the household…”

“I don’t _care_ about the _bloody_ household… I care about _you_ , Than…”

“Don’t worry about me,” he murmured with a shake of his head. “Death… was never meant to love in the first place.”

Everything in Zag jolted. 

“Wait, what? You… you _love_ me?”

Than stared at him as if he had spoken another language. A small smile played on the corner of his lips, and he leveled a _look_ that was both stern and teasing, like he was about to start scolding Zag and call him a “bad boy” in that tone that meant he really wasn’t. 

“Zagreus… Do you think I would have sex with anyone? That I would make myself vulnerable body, mind, and soul to anyone? That I would give away my precious childhood toy on a whim? Or learn how to do something as ridiculous as massaging my lover? Do you think I would lay with Meg or Achilles and kiss their tears away?” Than shook his head, stopping Zag from making a witty remark with a thumb on his lips. “I didn’t think I’d be the first to say it, but… I am in love with you. I am in love with your stubbornness, your sense of foolish righteousness, your innocent sense of justice… I am in love with your fiery feet, with your mismatched eyes, with your scruffy hair and firm body… I love you…”

His boyfriend became blurry as a fresh round of new tears burned Zag’s eyes. He kissed Than desperately again and again. “I _hate_ him, Than… I hate my father so much… I’d rather it be you… _Blood and darkness…_ what I would give that it were you that I marry… and not some stranger… not this _Nero_ …”

“Wait, Nero?” Than grasped his face with both hands, pushing him away enough to look Zag in the eyes. “What did you say?”

“That I wish I could marry you…”

“No, not that. The other part.”

“That I _don’t_ want to marry Nero?”

Than stared at him.

“What’s the matter? Do you know who Nero is?”

“Oh no…”


	27. Chapter 27

By the time Nero reached the gates to the House of Hades, he was _pissed_. The young hunter triggered, needing every ounce of his demonic strength to kick the stone door in. Much to his surprise, it opened on the second hit, and he couldn’t decide if it was because he’d kicked it hard enough or because some invisible guardian of the door didn’t want it further damaged. His trigger released against his will as he stepped into a neglected garden, and stomped through it into a regal hallway. Fighting his way down from the Surface to the Underworld had been an ass and a half, but it was only half his problem. 

The other half was finding Kyrie and getting her the Hell out of Hell. 

He found himself in a great hall in front of the mountainous desk of an equally gargantuan man. At his feet was a court musician who played such sombre notes that Nero wondered why he even bothered and a Cerberus at his other side. 

“Looks like I’ve come to the right place,” Nero muttered. He raised his voice to address the administrative director directly. “ _Where is my wife?!”_ Even to Nero, his shout echoed through the house, bringing everything to a grinding halt.

Lord Hades looked up from his paperwork to the small devil hunter in front of his desk, furrowing his long eyebrows and narrowing his dark eyes. “You don’t have an appointment… And you are?”

“Nero. Son of Vergil, grandson of Sparda.” _Because apparently those names have some stupid weight to them down here,_ Nero thought with a growl. 

The God of the Dead nodded slowly, sitting up to add another couple feet to his height. He brought his quill to the inkwell and let it rest there as he steepled his hands in interest. 

“Aah… So _you_ are the one he spoke of. I was about to be rather cross that someone had managed to fight their way to my front doorstep, but to know that it is only _you_ saves some trouble,” Lord Hades purred. He chuckled lowly, then bellowed so loud that Nero had to clamp his hands over his ears. “ _Zagreus!_ ”

When the last vibrations of the god’s shout faded away, Nero lowered his hands from his ears. “What are you talking about? What do you mean it’s ‘ _only_ ’ me? I’m here to get my wife and get out of here!”

“Nero!” 

His attention went to the way he’d come. All of his anger melted away at the sight of her. 

“Kyrie!”

She held her skirts as she ran to him, and he caught her in his arms. Nero didn’t spin her around the way Dante did. Her giggling was like music to his ears as he held her against his body, clinging to her as if they were two halves of a broken whole. He let go of her quickly, sniffling as he held her at arm’s length.

“Shit, Kyrie, I’m sorry… I’m all bloody and messy… You look… You look so beautiful…” Nero looked over her, suddenly seeing and realizing she wasn’t in her normal clothes. He shook his head, dismissing the idea that she was stuck here forever for accepting a new wardrobe. His hand held hers. “C’mon, we need to get out of here.”

“Nero, wait!” Kyrie exclaimed as he started towards the way he’d come. However, he only made it a few steps before the maiden dug in her heels and pulled him to a stop. The sudden jolt almost popped his shoulder out of its socket, and he turned his wide eyes to her. She was smiling, but Nero knew that smile. It was the smile that came before sad, bad news. It was the smile that softened the sword’s edge, turning a cutting wound into a bruising one. She held his hand with both of hers. “I… It would be better if we did this somewhere privately. I can accompany you as far as the gardens… or maybe we can sit in the lounge… but…” Kyrie shook her head. “I… I can’t leave, Nero…”

He opened his mouth to reply, but stopped short as another person came up to them. Nero stood up a little straighter, a hand going to his arm to tug his sleeve down by habit. He’d had his demonic arm for so long that he still thought it was there, still something to hide and be ashamed of, but the stranger didn’t notice the gesture. The young man wasn’t much older than him, and he was just as physically fit, if not more. Nero sized him up as the stranger did the same, his mis-matched eyes assessing Nero. The other warrior didn’t _look_ like a demon, but then again, Nero knew better than to trust outward appearances. His eyes kept wandering down to the man’s flaming feet. The skin of his arm crawled; not long ago, his arm had been like those flaming feet. Different.

Kyrie beside him curtsied to the other guy, as if she were back in the Order of the Sword and the Sparda-worshipping cult they’d left behind. “Prince Zagreus. Please pardon the noise. My… Nero has come to visit me.”

“Nero?” Prince Zagreus blinked in surprise. “You’re… not what I expected…” He shook his head. “Don’t fret yourself too much, Ms Kyrie. I’ve caused greater ruckus than my father would like to admit.” 

His head spun and ached at the same time. Nero rubbed his eyes with his fingers. “Wait, can everyone just chill out for five seconds before something crazy happens? Why can’t you leave? And why did you hesitate to say you’re my wife?”

“You’re already married?” 

“What do you mean _already_?”

“Oh dear…” Kyrie sighed and shook her head. “Lord Hades, Prince Zagreus… Please pardon my selfish request, but might I have some time from my duties to speak with Nero for a while? We have a great deal to talk about, and doing so in front of Lord Hades’ desk while he’s trying to work would be improper.”

“Thank you,” Lord Hades mumbled to his paperwork. He looked up at her to make a dismissive gesture. “Be on your way, child. Even Dusa is granted breaks from time to time.”

“My humblest gratitudes,” Kyrie murmured with another polite bob. She gave Prince Zagreus a small smile. “We’ll catch up with you in the lounge. Unless you _want_ to see poor Nero cry.”

“I’m not gonna cry!”

Prince Zagreus laughed and shook his head. “Go ahead. I wanted to talk to Meg anyway.”

She gave him a little curtsey as well, then took Nero by the hand and led him to the neglected garden. He let her pull him along a cracking path pocked with dead, dry weeds and to a tree with a little bench beneath its skeletal, naked limbs. Without the presence of candles or fire, Kyrie seemed to glow with her own pale, ethereal light. On the one hand, the shimmer of her made her only more beautiful, but on the other hand, it was further proof of her unfinished, unspoken words as to why she couldn’t leave. Of why she was in the Underworld in the first place. She held his hand in both of hers, touching his palm to her cheek. 

“Oh Nero… where do I even begin?” Kyrie asked quietly, her voice so soft that he almost didn’t hear her. 

He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her into him. Her back to his chest, Nero held her protectively, wishing that he could wrap his spectral wings around her too. He tried, he honestly _tried_ to do that, to will his wings into existence, but the power of the palace around them stopped him. _I can’t even comfort her…_ _I can’t even comfort myself…_

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there…” Nero whispered. “I should have been there… I… I could have saved you… Hell, maybe the fire wouldn’t have even started if…”

“Hush,” she scolded him, shaking her head. The maiden leaned back against him, curling up on the bench. She looked up, and he followed her gaze, half expecting stars, but there was only darkness. “Please don’t blame yourself, Nero… Maybe it happened for a reason… and that some great, good thing will come of me being here…”

“So you’re just giving up like that? I can’t even convince you to try? To come with me back to the Surface?”

Kyrie shook her head again. “I’m dead, Nero… Even if I came back with you, how long would I stay? I’m only able to be here, like _this_ ,” she squeezed his arms around her, “because we’re in the Underworld together. If I were to follow you to the Surface… I’d probably just fade away… like any other ghost or spirit.”

Nero buried his face in her hair, squeezing her a little in return. Her words stung, even in her gentle tone. They were the words he didn’t _want_ to hear, but still _needed_ to hear. His fantasy of fighting her back to the surface ended in sunlight and her whispering goodbye. And as real as she felt in his arms, he knew he’d never be able to feel her again if he dragged her up with him. It was as she said, he could only touch her here because the dead lived in the Underworld. 

“It doesn’t take away the pain,” Nero croaked, his grief clutching his throat as it began to overtake him. “I love you… You’re my partner in… in _everything_! How am I goin’ to go on without you? I don’t think I can do it, Kyrie… Not without Credo… Not without _you_ …” 

“Oh Nero…” She turned in his arms to face him, to hold his face in her hands. Through his growing tears, he saw her glowing smile. Her thumbs brushed away his tears from his eyelashes. “I love you too… We grew together, became strong for one another… but now the time has come for us to… to move on together. Separate, but together. I still love you, and I always will… but…” Kyrie shook her head, smiling weakly as if she was unsure of how else to put it. “Our vows were ‘til death do we part’. It would be unfair of me to expect you to keep that vow of faithfulness when our bond has been broken. Death _has_ parted us.”

She closed her eyes as she touched her forehead to his. When words failed him, she continued, “Oh Nero… my sweet Nero… I only regret that I couldn’t prepare you for this… That I didn’t have the time to find you someone to take my place at your side…” He felt her lips touch his eyelids, one and then the other. “You’re still alive, Nero. You still have years and years ahead of you… Please… I beg of you… Let yourself fall in love again. Don’t let my memory fill your heart with emptiness and coldness… Please love again… please live again… For both of us.” 

“What about you?” Nero mumbled. “Do I just… leave you here forever? You’ll be alone too… Do I come back and visit on Sundays for tea or what?”

Her giggle was so pure, so sincere that he felt himself smile at the sound of it. It was the cool salve to his burning wounds. “You’re more than welcome to come visit me, Nero… Mind that I have work to do and that I can’t give you too much time, but…” Kyrie nodded. “I would enjoy it if you visited. And please don’t worry about me being lonely… I’ve not been here long, but I’ve made friends! And…” Her glowing white aura shimmered pink briefly. “I am ashamed to admit it, but I have developed a sort of… well, its um…”

He couldn’t help but laugh a little. “A crush?”

“Yes! That’s it! You see, I’ve met someone… a woman… She’s very rough around the edges, like Mr Vergil, but…” Kyrie smiled wistfully at the starless sky. “She’s kind to me. Protective, like you can be. Even though I’m supposed to be her servant, she doesn’t treat me like property. She lets me speak as an equal to her, and she’ll sit with me and drink with me when I’m on my breaks.” 

“She sounds nice… Gotta admit, I’m a little jealous…”

Kyrie sat up in his arms. “Would you like to meet her? Ms Meg, I mean.”

“Sure,” he replied, rubbing his nose with his hand to hide his grin briefly. “Gotta make sure you’re in good hands before I leave.”

Laughing, she got up from his hold and tugged him by the hand. Nero couldn’t help but grin, feeling like they were children again running through the fancy, stuffy halls of the Order headquarters as she led him from the garden to the lounge. She paused in the doorway to look around, smiling as she saw Prince Zagreus wave from a chair in the back. Kyrie pulled Nero closer to them and let go of him to cross her arms. 

Prince Zagreus reclined in one seat, his ankles crossed and propped up on a table next to his cup. Across from him was a woman with skin and hair a shade of blue that complemented her clothes. The prince’s grin faded as Kyrie puffed her cheeks at him. 

“Feet _off_ the tables, Prince Zagreus!”

He groaned and rolled his eyes, but did as she asked, even sitting up straight. The woman in blue chuckled into her cup as Kyrie lifted Zag’s goblet to wipe the table down with a corner of her sash. Nero squinted, noticing that the color of her sash was the same blue as the ornamented woman’s clothes. Satisfied that the table was cleaned from fiery foot-germs, she sat down beside the woman in blue and gestured for Nero to sit with the prince, who even scooted over to accommodate the guest. Not one to turn down an offered seat, especially one with the back to the wall, Nero sank into the cushion beside Prince Zagreus.

Nero couldn’t help but grin at the prince. “She got you whipped too, huh?”

“ _Ugh_.” He rolled his eyes again. “For a servant, she can be rather… dominant.”

“Careful, Zagreus,” the blue woman purred into her goblet. “I might teach her how to use my whip on you. Keep you in line when I’m not around.”

Kyrie blushed and giggled at the idea. “I don’t _enjoy_ being forceful!” 

“Could have fooled me.”

The maiden’s blush darkened. She cleared her throat and stole the blue woman’s goblet. “Ms Meg, Prince Zagreus, this is my… this is Nero.”

“You can say it, Kyrie, it’s okay,” Nero tried to assure her. “I’m her ex-husband.”

“Oh, it sounds so awful when you say it like that…”

Meg’s eyes flicked over Nero, assessing him in that warrior’s way. He narrowed his own eyes at her, not needing to look her over to know that he _really_ wasn’t looking forward to sparring with her anytime soon.

“You’re the one Lord Hades has been talking about,” Meg stated. Her gaze turned to Zagreus. “Does he know?”

“I doubt it,” the prince sighed. 

“Know _what_?” 

The muscular young man beside him nudged Nero with his elbow. “C’mon,” Prince Zagreus told him in an annoyed grumble. “We’d best go somewhere to discuss this where it won’t cause a scene…”

“Do you need us to leave if you’d prefer the lounge?” Kyrie offered.

“I have a better idea… Might I suggest your chamber?” Meg asked with a grin.

“Haha,” Prince Zagreus spoke flatly, flipping her off. She returned the gesture with a sweet smile that made Nero shiver. However the prince slumped as Nero got up to let him out of the corner. “Unfortunately… there really isn’t a better place to talk about this… Follow me… And please mind the mess… The only time I have a guest is when I’m…” A bright blush painted the back of his neck. “Nevermind…”

Kyrie turned in her seat to watch them go, giggling knowingly. She didn’t flinch as Mr Thanatos popped in, taking the seat occupied only moments ago by Prince Zagreus and Nero. The maiden faced forward and leaned into Ms Meg as a blue arm circled her shoulders. 

“So, the betrothed are going to spend some alone time together,” Meg purred into her goblet. She tilted her head at Than. “Are you okay?”

He pushed his hood back and shook out his hair; Kyrie knew the gesture meant that he was off the clock and speaking off the record. She started to stand to get him refreshments, but Meg held her in place, making her squeak in the failed effort. Meg nodded pointedly to the goblet left behind by Zag, which Than took without thought or hesitation.

“I’m…” Than started confidently, then wavered. He sighed so heavily, he almost deflated in his seat entirely. Kyrie whined, wishing she could bring some comfort to him. “I’m fine…”

“Oh Mr Thanatos… Please don’t give up hope,” she tried. “Prince Zagreus loves you. He really and truly does. Maybe together they’ll sort something out. An arrangement to make Lord Hades happy while also keeping the bond between you and Prince Zagreus strong.”

“Could just have a threesome,” Meg suggested with a grin. Her verbal prod worked, and Than blushed and looked away from them.

 _She’s not entirely wrong though,_ Kyrie thought, tapping her cheek. The maiden’s smile brightened. “If there’s room in my heart to love another so soon after losing my Nero, perhaps the same can be said for Prince Zagreus, Nero, and yourself. Perhaps having another to take care of your prince while you’re away will help ease your mind, and make the reunion when it should come all the more sweeter.”

“Or I could just crash the wedding,” Than grumbled.


	28. Chapter 28

The walk from lounge to his chambers was blissfully short, but with how many times Zag had made it, he half expected a ditch to develop in the floor. _Spill a goblet of wine in the hallway, and it would funnel into my room and the courtyard…_ He sighed again, wishing he could close a door of some form to give them privacy while they talked, and took his frustration out on moving clothes and books piled on the settee off. Without anywhere he really wanted them, Zag just dumped them into a pile in a corner. _Maybe when I’m tired of getting my ass kicked to Surface and back, I’ll clean up for real…_

Nero sat on the edge of the settee, looking completely uncomfortable with being in another young man’s room. _Maybe he knows how many times Than and I have “used” that settee…_ Zag pulled out the chair from his desk and tried to sit backwards in it. When that didn’t work, he grumbled and turned it around to face Nero. He felt a thousand miles away from his guest, whose attention wandered to the rest of Zag’s room. Even the Mirror of Night was scrutinized under Nero’s gaze, but he didn’t speak his mind as his attention turned to Zag at last. 

Zag scratched the back of his head nervously. Now that he had Nero here, away from the influence of the maiden or others, the prince was suddenly unsure of what to say, or even where to start. _Maybe we should have spoken in front of Ms Kyrie and Meg after all… One or both of them would be sufficient enough at keeping this awkward tension at bay…_ He wanted to apologize for the death of Kyrie, to just ask Nero bluntly what was discussed with him and Hades before Zag stumbled in, but the words didn’t come to his lips. Not without them tasting sour or flat or both on his tongue.

“Is… this your first time in the Underworld?” Zag asked, unsure of how else to start the conversation. “There were others that came here before you, that were like you. Twins that were older but their clothes and manners were similar to yours.”

He chuffed and smiled a little, nodding. “Yeah, Dante and Vergil… They’re um…” Nero sighed heavily. “Didn’t know it until not long ago, but yeah… They’re family. Vergil’s my father apparently, which makes Dante my uncle. But yeah, this is only my second time in Hell. First time was a few months back when um… when this big ass demon tree…”

“The Qliphoth.” He smiled at Nero’s squint. “Your family and I spoke about it briefly. Vergil professed that this was also his second fall into the Underworld, due to having to descend to destroy the tree fully.” 

Nero nodded slowly and went quiet again.

When the quiet began to settle too thickly around them, Zag blurted out, “I’m sorry, but you said… Did you not know they were your family?”

He smiled a little as he nodded. "Yeah, I… When I was a kid, I didn't know my family. No one knew who my father was, and my mother died when I was really young. Like, still a baby young. Kyrie and her brother, Credo, raised me. Three orphans against the world…" His smile faded as he swallowed hard, holding back an emotion that threatened to violently escape. "When… When Credo died, I thought Kyrie would never forgive me… Hell, I didn't think I'd forgive Dante… but he was the first person that looked at me and didn't shy away from me because I was weird or different… Like he knew we were blood…"

Zag chuffed, looking away from him. "I can understand what it feels like… to discover a family you didn't know you had… and fighting to put it back together, to _hold_ it together with blood, sweat, and tears… when it just wants to fall apart."

"Yeah," Nero nodded. "Yeah, it was just like that… Just when I learned I had a father and uncle and _family_ … they nearly killed each other… and as I finally got them to, you know, _not_ , they both leapt into Hell…"

The prince chewed on his lip in thought, then sighed. _No use dancing around it further…_ “What did my father say to you, when you arrived? Before he bellowed for me, you two must have been talking for some time…”

"The big guy? Not much of anything," Nero admitted with a shrug. "Something about how he would've been pissed if it were anyone else who fought their way here, but since it was ‘only’ me, he wasn't too mad. Don't really get what that meant, but whatever…"

 _Oh boy…_ Zag chuckled weakly. _How's this for the beginning of a shaky relationship?_ He drew a breath of strength, thought a quick prayer to Athena, and came out with it. "When was the last time you spoke with your father?"

Nero shrugged again and shook his head in the same gesture. "Him and Dante came back home the other day. Guess they found a way out of here. Gave them a ride to our place for dinner, a shower, and a comfortable bed before he headed to the library for some research. We didn't really get a chance to talk much. Why?"

"Somewhere… in all of this back and forth… He's made his way back here and had a private audience with my father."

The other warrior groaned and buried his face in a hand. "Oh no…"

"Yeah… Dante and I arrived at the same time, but too late to intervene with the negotiations… We're in… You and I… Our fathers decided that we should marry."

His head and hand and jaw all dropped in a look of mixed confusion and disbelief. "Are you shitting me?" Nero asked under his breath. 

"I wish I could be… erm… not shitting you?"

Nero chuffed, shaking his head. "This is… fucking unbelievable…" He ran a hand through his short, silver-white hair, fluffing it in frustration. The youth huffed and faced Zag again. "Listen, you're… Okay, you're hot enough that I would ask you out for drinks and maybe to go dance at a club or something, and I would be more flustered and shy if I wasn't ticked off and emotional about everything happening so damn fast, so don't… don't take it _personally_ when I say that I don't want this. The only other person I've really _loved_ has just died, and I'm still trying to figure out how to bargain her alive. I don't… in a few years, maybe if we dated first, but to just be shoved into each other like this? You're sexy, but not _that_ hot…"

Zag laughed a little, rubbing the warmth from the back of his neck. "No, no, I understand perfectly. If I wasn't so infatuated with Than, I'd consider it an honor to spar until we're exhausted and have drinks with you that perhaps led to something… _physical_ … But I also have no wish to take part in this arrangement." And yet he felt _something_ inside him. A nervousness fluttering in his belly akin to the first tinglings he felt for Than years ago. A butterfly that tickled the inside of his ribs and heart. He rubbed his exposed chest, trying to warm the feeling away.

"So what do we do?" Nero asked. "It might be easy for me to say 'no' and walk away, but there's a catch, isn’t there?" 

The prince parted his lips to answer, but Nero's attention flicked to the door, and he sat up in interest. Kyrie "ahem"ed politely, giving both a shy smile. 

"Beg your pardon, but your fathers wish to speak with you… together."

" _Ugh,_ " groaned Nero, standing and dusting off his pants. "What for?"

She shook her head, her hands wringing nervously in front of her. "I'm afraid I don't know. I can only assume it has something to do with your um…"

"Our inevitable nuptials?" Nero asked with a wry smile. 

“Yes, I believe so…”

Zag rolled his eyes. “What do they want _now_? Suggestions on decorating?”

"There _was_ a question of a gown as I left…"

" _Absolutely not,_ " both of them protested as they stumbled to be the first out.

Kyrie giggled as she got out of their way. Nero hung back to let Zag lead the way, not really knowing where to go. He kept up to Zag's annoyed speed-walk, past the empty administration desk, past Achilles at his post, and didn't flinch back when the prince shoved the door open. Neither of the men at the desk in the center of the room looked surprised by the violent entrance. Vergil didn't even spill his tea, much to Zag's further irritation. The maiden scurried after them to hurriedly close the door before the inevitable shouting could start and disrupt the household.

Zag crossed his arms over his chest and leveled a glare at Hades. Beside him, Nero braced an elbow on his shoulder and leaned against him like some street delinquent. The prince could only hope they looked as intimidating and powerful as he imagined they did. Vergil quirked an eyebrow at them, breaking his stoic expression to reveal _some_ amount of amusement. Hades, however, revealed nothing.

"You _rang_?" Nero asked, the smirk in his voice more threatening than friendly.

The two fathers exchanged a look that Zag took as _"oh great, there's two of them and they're teamed up, we're clearly in the wrong, whatever shall we do"_ , before Hades spoke. "How courteous of you to join us so timely. I hope we hadn't interrupted you from getting to know each other."

"Yes, you interrupted us mid-blowjobs," Zag sneered back. "Poor Ms Kyrie will be traumatized for years to come."

"Wanna hear all the filthy details or did you actually have something _important_ to yammer on about?"

Vergil's curled lip and moment of disgust was a small victory. "Save the sordid details for Dante," he grumbled into his teacup. “We summoned you here to discuss our agreement further with you. But if you have no interest in hearing about the possibility of walking away from this awkward engagement…”

Zag bit back his scowl as he felt Nero stand up straighter in interest. “Of course you did…” His mismatched gaze flicked to Hades. “There’s always a catch with you, isn’t there Father? Some unspoken rule that I’m not made aware of until I’m a step from breaking it?”

“Perceptive, but cynical,” Hades judged, as if scoring his son now. “Vergil and I have come to an agreement of our own, so much so that your engagement is no longer necessary for us. However…” Zag felt his heart drop at that word, bracing himself for the worst. “It is to the benefit of you both to forge a bond of emotional and spiritual strength. For Zagreus, being bound to a Surface-dweller would extend the time in which he could leave the Underworld before dying from being too far from his home. What was previously hours could, with time, become days, or even weeks of freedom to explore the mortal realm.”

“And for Nero,” Vergil continued, “it would mean a purer, stronger connection to the source of your demonic power. By participating in the bond, you’ll find your own power growing the closer you are to Hell. Not to mention that carrying the name and mark of Lord Hades would grant you swifter passage into and through the Underworld. While you may not think of either of these things as an immediate benefit, remember that more of your family that you yearn to connect with dwells here.” Nero went rigid beside Zag, as if Vergil had grabbed him by some invisible strings and pulled them tight. “Ms Kyrie, for instance. Or her brother.”

“There is also the matter of the household. As Zagreus is unable and unwilling to learn how to care for the needs of his domain through the application of proper administrative processes, Nero would be the one to take over his position in the administrative chain of command. Being the owner of his own establishment, there is already an advantage of knowing how a business is to be efficiently maintained.”

As much as Zag wanted to snap something at them, to say something snarky to break the spell their fathers seemed to possess them with, his throat felt suddenly dry. _It’s too good to be true,_ Zag told himself, his gaze turning away from them and to the window outside. _There has to be a lie somewhere, something that I hadn’t thought of. Or would the sacrifice I must make be only my bond and love for Thanatos?_

Hades broke the delicate quiet between them. “Of course, we are not so cruel as to force this arrangement hastily. For the bond to be of use to either of you, it must be entered freely and reciprocated. As such, we both agree that the two of you should consider it together. It will be your lives affected the most from this.”

“How long do we have?” Nero asked, his voice so small and far away, Zag forgot that the other youth was standing right next to him.

Vergil tilted his head a little at them. “Time does not flow here the way it does on Earth. And to simply tell you to take all the time that you need would be… detrimental to the necessary preparations.”

“You have until your veil and gown are completed,” Hades stated so suddenly that even Vergil’s attention snapped to him. “And consider yourself at an advantage, as the artist to weave the fabric has not yet been chosen. Mark my words, however. Once the weaver has been chosen, your time will be short.”

“Very well then,” Zag agreed with a nod. “Is there anything else you need of us?”

“Be on your way,” replied the God of the Dead with a dismissive gesture. “We will summon you as we have need of you.”

“Obviously,” Nero grumbled, shoving his hands in his pockets. He held the door open for Zag and kicked it closed behind them. The devil hunter sighed heavily. “Listen, I… I don’t really know how to put this gently, but um…”

“You need some time alone to think,” Zag finished for him. He returned Nero’s surprised expression with a warm smile. “I’m not offended. I would like some time on my own as well.” 

Nero nodded. “Cool… Thanks…” 

Despite the pain in his heart and the sinking feeling in his stomach, Zag didn’t stop him from walking away.


	29. Chapter 29

Nero didn’t go very far. There wasn’t anywhere he _could_ go where someone wouldn’t find him or bother him, so the devil hunter chose to hide in plain sight. His gaze on the floor and his hands in his pockets, he headed down the hall opposite from Hades’ chambers and scaled the wall. From his perch, he could see the Pool of the Styx, the empty administrative desk, and a good portion of the household around him. If he wanted to peek into the lounge, Nero would only have to jump from one wall to the other, but where he was… He was perfectly fine leaning against a sturdy stalactite, letting a leg swing idly as he listened to his music. His headphones covered both ears, and it was so loud that he couldn’t hear the snoring of one of Cerberus’s sleeping heads or the burbling of the River Styx behind him. He was surrounded by his music, absorbed by it, swallowed by it as he let his mind wander.

Despite being who knew how many miles beneath the Earth, or at least that’s where Nero assumed he was, there was a strange sense of _home_ to the House of Hades. He knew he was in Hell still, in the Underworld, the Great Beneath, _call it whatever you want, but Hell is still Hell at the end of the day._ And yet it… _wasn’t_. The labyrinth of flesh and bone he’d navigated before was still there, somewhere. The endless fields and halls of demons tormenting human souls before feasting on them were still there, somewhere.

 _Someone else’s department,_ he thought with a wry smile. 

The House of Hades reminded him so much of Dante’s shop that it was surreal how comfortable he felt. He watched Hades lumber back to his desk, sitting down and making himself comfortable before returning to his work. They were such opposites that Nero grinned at the thought. Dante laid back and rarely used his desk for paperwork; it was just another place to prop up his boots and stack pizza boxes when he wasn’t taking calls. Hades, on the other hand, was diligent with his paperwork. _I bet_ **_he_ ** _doesn’t have a backlog of billing forms needing to be mailed out_ , Nero chuffed. 

He saw the floating head of snakes, somehow able to hold a feather duster that she swished gently over the artifacts on display by Hades’ chamber. She swayed and bobbed as she worked, no doubt humming to herself with the same enthusiasm that Kyrie had when she cleaned. His heart skipped a beat as he saw Kyrie approaching Dusa, an empty basket against her hip. What they talked about, he could only imagine, but he saw Kyrie’s shoulders shaking with laughter. He smiled through the pain in his heart.

 _You’ll still be able to see her,_ a little voice whispered in the back of his mind. Was it his own or the demon inside him that he was still learning? _She’s dead, but not gone forever. Here, you can still touch her. Here, you can still hear her laughter and see her dancing in the hallway. Here, she can still be your love eternal._

Nero bit his tongue to try to punish that voice inside him. _Yeah, I just gotta marry another dude I barely know and then do some wibbly-wobbly bloody dark demon magic to get stronger and the keys to the front door…_

So much had happened so quickly that his head was still spinning, even as he sat still. Dante and Vergil coming home only to vanish again, the orphanage burning to the ground and taking Kyrie with it, and now _this_ . He rubbed his face with both hands, then pulled them away to look at them. _It’s just like my arm…_ Nero thought, tilting his head at his hands. _It feels like not long ago, I had that accident and my arm turned demonic. And just when I was starting to accept it, it got ripped off… Taken away from me. And just when I was starting to get used to using the Devil Breakers and prosthetics… I have my arm back and I can fully trigger now…_ He closed his eyes and leaned his head back. _What’s going to be taken away from me next? What am I going to get from it?_

The devil hunter sighed and tried to sort out his thoughts. _Okay, list of pros and cons. Pro, I can still live on the surface. I guess? I think? I’ll be able to come visit Kyrie somehow. My devil trigger will get stronger. Prince Zagreus… Wait, will marrying him make me a king? Or do we have to wait for the big guy to croak? Or do I get a lame title like “prince escort”? I guess he’s…_ Nero felt himself blush, felt the warm sensation quickly chased with electric shivers down his spine. _Okay, stop denying it, Nero. He’s sexy. Like, legit hot. But the last time I had it hot and heavy for another guy, he…_ He swallowed back the lump that threatened to form in his throat. _But Zag will be different, I guess. Since he can’t die for real, being part immortal and all…_ He rubbed his face again. _I can’t just have sex with him yet! I love Kyrie! I want to punch that massive asshole right in his snotty nose for killing her like that! But… that won’t change anything… She’ll still be dead, and I’ll…_

He huffed against his palms and lowered his hands again, his eyes on the distant ceiling. Even sitting on the wall, he wasn’t any closer to it. The ceiling and the Surface felt worlds away. _Cons…_ Nero thought, bringing himself back to his jumbled idea map. _Cons… cons… um… Coming here won’t be a vacation. That big guy’s goin’ to put me to work I guess, picking up the slack Zag left behind. But how hard can running the Underworld be? You just look at a soul’s profile and send them_ [ _on their way_ ](https://store.steampowered.com/app/588690/Peace_Death/) _, right?_ He lowered his gaze back to the House of Hades, as if _looking_ for excuses to not stay, to not accept this new arrangement. But that didn’t last long, and after a few moments of searching for reasons to leave, he found himself looking for Kyrie. When he couldn’t see her immediately, he jumped across the distance of the hall to squat on the wall adjoined to the lounge, peeking in. 

There she was. 

Kyrie was in the lounge now, having slipped by his notice while he was distracted by his thoughts. _Some guard I turned out to be…_ She, Meg, and Dante were conversing at the bar, the maiden between them like a soft buffer to keep the peace. They didn’t notice they were being spied on, but Nero _did_ notice the body language between them. Sure, Dante was leaning on the bar with a casual elbow, his body open to them in interest. But Meg, on the other hand, was stiff with tension. The arm she had around Kyrie’s waist almost positioned her as a shield between them, hiding and protecting Meg from Dante’s attention. _If she’s anything like Vergil, she’s not sure what to do with the idea of friends,_ Nero mused as he watched them talk. His heart sank like a rock as Meg leaned close to Kyrie’s cheek, whispering something to her that made Kyrie giggle and blush. He sat up from his perch enough to grab the hood of his jacket and pull it over his head and eyes. 

_I don’t know what to do,_ he admitted to himself quietly in the chaos of the techno-metal blaring in his ear. _I know what I_ **_want_** _. I_ **_want_ ** _to go back in time, to keep Dante and Vergil from goin’ back to Hell. I_ **_want_ ** _to go back in time, to save Kyrie from that fire. I want to go back in time to keep all this from happenin’ in the first place._ Nero sighed heavily, suddenly missing the strict routine of the Order of the Sword. Awake before sunrise, morning drills, breakfast, afternoon lessons, sparring, dinner, night patrol… He missed the _structure_ of knowing where to be and when. _Almost miss bein’ given orders. Don’t have to think about the pros and cons when everything was so blindingly clear. Hunt the demons, protect the people…_ Nero bonked his head back against the stalactite he was leaning on, trying to beat order into his thoughts. _And forget the fact that the Order was a fuckin’ cult! Don’t ask questions and just do what you’re told. Shit, why does this have to be so complicated? Why did it have to be…_

He startled out of his thoughts when something hit the side of his head. It wasn’t a hard hit, just enough to get his attention. Nero sat up and lowered his hood, looking around. 

Below him, Prince Zagreus stood by the Pool of Styx, tossing a small red crystal in his hand idly. He had a grin on his face that Nero could almost see himself making if their roles were reversed. _How many times have I thrown pebbles at Kyrie’s window to get her attention?_ Nero lowered his hood, and then his headphones, turning down the volume on them to speak. 

“You make a habit of throwing things at people?” 

“Only when they don’t hear me yelling for them,” Prince Zagreus replied with a shrug. He closed his hand around the red crystal, and when he opened his hand again, it was gone. “You looked so deep in thought, I almost felt bad for bothering you.”

“Almost?”

The prince chuckled to himself. “Mind if I join you?”

Nero swung his leg so both of them dangled in front of him, facing the pool to let Kyrie and the others in the lounge converse in some privacy. _Why the Hell not? Maybe between the two of us, we can figure something out._ “Sure.”


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry, but i just really really love Devil Trigger

Zag walked a few steps and took a running start, scaling most of the wall, but not quite reaching. Nero offered a hand, and without even thinking, Zag took it and let the young man help him the rest of the way up. He sat with a huff on the wall beside his guest, letting his legs dangle also. Now that he was so high up, Zag couldn’t help but grin a little as he looked over the House. _Is this what Hades sees when he walks around the House?_ Zag wondered. _Everything is so small, but…_ The mosaic on the floor was clearer now, and the room seemed almost brighter.

“Nice view,” Zag finally said with a nod. 

“You say that like you’ve never seen it before.”

He shrugged. “I haven’t. Not like this anyway. I’ve… never been up here before.”

Nero’s own grin faded. “Too whipped to even try…” 

It wasn’t a question. It was an unspoken common ground. Whatever Nero’s tragic past was, it was parallel to the prince’s. _The tragedy of being a child raised in a museum,_ Zag thought, letting his gaze go over the House once more. _Never allowed to touch anything. Never allowed to scale the shelves or pillars. Never allowed to run freely and play. Hands always sore from the smacks that came from any attempt to learn or understand something by feel. Questions always silenced before they reached the tongue from all the times that asking earned punishments._

Zag nodded a little. “Yeah…”

There was a strange noise between them and he thought he heard distant singing. Looking around, Zag’s attention went to the… well, _thing_ hanging from Nero’s neck. It was shaped like laurels, but it was not made of olive or gilded leaves, and it had two round cups on either side. The prince leaned a little towards Nero to confirm that the source of the sounds he was hearing was the _thing_ . He chewed on his lip in thought. _He’s like me,_ Zag had to tell himself. _He won’t reprimand me for asking._

“Pardon my ignorance,” Zag started. He met Nero’s questioning look. “But what _is_ that?”

Nero grinned a little and took them off, handing the thing over to Zag. “Bluetooth headphones. It’s on my ‘leave me alone, I’m trying to think’ playlist, so it’s mostly techno-metal, club remixes, and music that has a pulse.”

He chuffed a little, taking the thing. “Those are words, yes… But put together, I don’t understand what they mean.” Still, he held the cup against his ear. Nero called it music, but to Zag, it sounded scratchy and jumbled, a cacophony of instruments that sounded muffled and indistinct. Zag furrowed his brows as he looked at the thing again. _How can anyone enjoy this? It’s just noise._

The young man beside him huffed and got out a flat stone that glowed, swiping his thumb over its illuminated surface. Zag thought he saw letters and images before Nero set it aside and took the cup-headband thing from his hands. He didn’t hesitate, didn’t wait for Zag to protest before the thing was plopped onto his head and the cups went over his ears.

Immediately, Zag was surrounded by [ _music_ ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8k6GC5NtuAg) . He couldn’t tell what instruments they were, but the sounds of them went over his skin to leave a chill in their wake that made his hair stand up on end. It was a haunting sound, something that reminded him of the groans of the dead but… _beautiful_ . Somewhere in the background, a woman’s voice sang, but he couldn’t tell the words, her voice just further notes to the song that came and went. He could feel his heart racing, his breath quickening, as if the song were bringing him to an edge that dared him to jump. It was the sense that _something_ was about to happen.

And then it happened. Another instrument, sudden and fuzzy but distinct from the others, rose to the surface like a fist beating against his heart. Then another, this one teasing the tone down and then up and then down again. A buildup of other instruments, and then a pause, like a breath being held, and the singing began. It was distorted, like something was between Zag and the singer, but the words were still clear. _The darkness of night falls around my soul,_ Zag thought with a grin, tasting the lyrics even as others passed him by. 

He pulled off the thing from his head and looked it over. It vibrated in his hand, humming with the beat and the singing, but he couldn’t distinguish the individual sounds without it on. “What… _is_ this? How does it work? Are there shades inside?”

Nero laughed gently and shook his head, taking them back. “Oh boy… Where to even start? Um… Well, first of all, no. There’s no shades or spirits or whatever inside. It’s um… It’s a recording of music.”

“A what?”

“Think of it like a painting or a sculpture, but with music.”

Zag nodded slowly, as if understanding even though he really didn’t. 

The devil hunter rubbed his nose with a hand, hiding his expression. “If you had a stereo or CD player or whatever, I’d make you a mix-tape. Guess I’ll just have to get a used iPod or somethin ‘n’ make a playlist instead.”

He couldn’t help but laugh a little, toying with the headphones in his hand. “You’re speaking gibberish again.”

“It’s alright… Wasn’t that long ago that I didn’t know what half that stuff was myself…”

“Sheltered?”

Nero’s smile faded a little. “Yeah… Really sheltered.”

The prince nodded again, letting the conversation fade there. But it wasn’t the awkward quiet of before. Or at least, it didn’t feel awkward to Zag. Instead, he felt at ease. Like he could speak his mind and it wouldn’t bother Nero at all. Or that just because they were quiet together didn’t mean he was upset or angry or ignoring him. It was a comfortable quiet of them just _being_ together. The song playing in the headphones in his hand faded away and a new song began. 

_We’re so similar, and yet so different,_ Zag mused, his eyes on the strange metal laurels in his hand. _We both fight to put together our broken families. We are young and angry at the world, and have no way of showing it except for tearing the system down brick by brick._ He chuffed, letting his poetic mind wander. _We are the sunset and the sunrise. The blood red sky of endings and the pale dawn of new beginnings and hope. I think I see now, why Father didn’t hesitate to do this to us… to me…_ His attention turned to the young man beside him, studying him and his strange clothes, his strange cut of hair, and all the details of his face. The strength of his jaw, the plush of his lips… Zag blushed and turned his gaze away before he could be caught or accused of staring.

“Is there um… something special about someone making a mix-tape for another person?”

The shy grin and guilty turn of Nero’s head was answer enough for Zag, but Nero spoke as well, “Yeah um… Where I come from I guess, yeah it means uh…” He shrugged and adjusted his jacket, trying to look cool. Nero sighed and gave up, turning his pretty blue eyes to Zag. “If a guy likes a girl… or someone in general I guess… he’ll make a mix-tape of different songs for her… I mean, girls do it too… Make mix-tapes I mean… But yeah… In our culture, in the human world, if you make someone a mix-tape of all the songs you like or songs you _think_ the other person will like, it um… it means you like the other person…”

“ _Like_ like, or…?”

He laughed a little and nodded. “Yeah… _Like_ like…” Nero looked away shyly. “But hey… I guess I can just listen to music with you here like this. That wouldn’t be bad, right?” 

“No, it wouldn’t,” Zag mumbled with a smile of his own. He found himself suddenly shy again, like when he and Than first talked about the idea of moving their relationship from just friends to something more. He felt suddenly aware of every breath, every beat of his heart. He was even suddenly conscious of his fiery feet, crossing his legs at his ankles to try to hide them. “It’d be… It’d be quite nice…”

“Here… If we scoot in close to each other…” He hop-shuffled closer to Zag, and the prince grinned as he did the same, until their hips were against one another and they were perhaps too close. Nero grabbed his glowing stone from his pocket and swiped over it. “This one’s a good song… If you um… if you liked that other one, you might like this one…”

Nero hung the headphones around Zag’s neck as the music [ changed ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49tpIMDy9BE) , then leaned an arm behind the prince, bracing it on the wall. He was so close that Zag could feel his breath against his cheek. The prince hardly heard the song, which started as a soft music box before a voice sang to him. Zag closed his eyes, his stomach and heart a fluttering maelstrom of thoughts and feelings. The body against his own was so warm, so _different_ compared to the body he knew and loved. He found himself breathing in sync with Nero, swallowing hard to keep his nervousness at bay. As the woman sang about wanting someone to shatter her, all Zag could think was _Me too… I want someone to break me apart and put me back together in a way that makes sense…_

His eyes fluttered open in time to see that Nero was looking at him, looking _through_ his mismatched eyes and into his very _soul_ , into his core where his heart raced and his body felt warm. Zag found his eyes flicking to Nero’s lips, so close to his own.

“I’ll bring headphones for you next time,” Nero promised in a whisper. “So we don’t gotta share like this…” 

“I don’t mind…” Zag’s voice felt soft, lost against the music and his own breathing. 

The devil hunter smiled a little and tilted his head. Zag’s heart leapt into his throat. He knew that head tilt, had seen it and done it himself so many times before when he kissed Than. Despite everything else in the world, despite who may see them or where they were, Zag let his eyes drift closed as he tilted his head as well, letting it rest on Nero’s shoulder in an offering of his own lips to his newly betrothed. He could feel the warmth of Nero’s lips before they even touched his, as they hesitantly leaned closer to one another, and he knew somehow that those pink lips would be softer than Than’s, that they would be just as shy and nervous as his own and yet so much more -

“Hey, _there_ you are! Nero!”

Zag flinched back as Nero did the same. They both wobbled, nearly stumbling off their perch. Nero huffed in annoyance beside him, and the grin on Dante’s face was the only clue Zag needed to know that he’d startled them on purpose. The prince removed the headphones from his neck and handed them to Nero, who placed them around his own neck before jumping down to meet Dante and Vergil. Zag followed after him when he was sure he could trust his own legs and footing. 

“Hey kiddo,” Dante greeted his nephew. “Verge ‘n’ I are headin’ out to find someone. Supposedly Mom’s down here somewhere. You wanna come with?”

The devil hunter rubbed his arm, then shook his head. “Nah, you two go ahead. Maybe I’ll meet her and grandpa some other time.”

“At your wedding, perhaps?” Vergil asked with a smirk. 

Nero flipped him off, and Vergil merely blew a kiss at him. The two exchanged nods, eyebrow wiggles, and knowing looks that Zag couldn’t distinguish between flirtatious or sleepy, until both men were grinning like idiots. No further words of departure were necessary as the twins headed for the garden and front gate. 

A sudden idea sprang to Zag’s mind, as if lit by a match. “While they’re gone, I was thinking about heading to the Surface myself. I have someone I want to visit, and perhaps some fresh air will do us both some good.” Zag’s smile fell a little. “I must warn you before we go, though. It’s no easy task. We’ll have to fight our way out. Unless you’d rather not! You don’t have to come along, but I thought that you might… you would be interested?”

He grinned and nodded, replying without a second thought, “Sure.”


	31. Chapter 31

“Was startling them truly necessary?” Vergil asked from the darkness ahead of Dante. 

The younger twin grinned, giving his brother’s hand a gentle squeeze. They weren’t told explicitly to hold hands, but there was an unspoken agreement that being separated in the great darkness would be a Very Bad Idea™. So even before they stepped out of the House of Hades, they grabbed hold of one another and didn’t let go. Dante didn’t complain, though. The conversation only helped reassure him that it was his brother’s hand he was holding in the first place. 

“Well, _yeah_ ,” Dante argued. “It was _absolutely_ necessary to spook them out of kissin’.”

He could hear Vergil’s scoff and almost see him roll his eyes. “And _why_ was it necessary?”

“You ain’t a very good matchmaker, Verge. It takes skill, finesse…” Dante stopped short when he felt the chill of an ice sword pointed at him. “Woah, okay! Relax! Givin’ ‘em blue-balls like that will make them want it more! You know, like bein’ told ‘no, you can’t have cookies before dinner’ makes you _really_ crave somethin’ sweet?”

“So by stopping them from kissing, you’re making them want to kiss more?”

“Yeah! Reverse psychology!”

“That’s… _ugh_ … That’s _not_ how reverse psychology works.”

“Isn’t it? Here lemme prove it…” Dante cleared his throat. “ _Maaan,_ ” he whined in a sarcastic tone. “It would _really_ suck if someone kissed me _right now…_ ”

He counted down the seconds until Vergil reliably grabbed him by the front of his shirt and pulled him into a rough kiss. “ _You…_ ” Vergil hissed between his teeth. “Are an _imbecile_.” 

“Just wait,” Dante murmured. “I’m ‘bout to make magic happen by whinin’ about how long this is taking.”

“Dante, you can’t _possibly_ begin to imagine how _ridiculous_ you sound. You can’t just _make_ the temples of goddesses appear out of thin air just by saying so!”

“Yeah, but admit it, Verge. You get aroused every time I’m a dumbass.”

“ _Ugh_ …” Vergil let go of the front of his shirt and resumed leading the way into nowhere. “If you absolutely _must_ be an idiot, the only thing you’re wasting is your breath…”

Dante cleared his throat once more. “ _Ahem_ …” He took a deep breath and declared louder in that sarcastic voice. “ _Wooow_ Vergil! Look’it all this darkness! It’d be a _real shame_ if we _somehow_ found our way out!”

He was almost disappointed that nothing happened immediately. But after a few more steps, Dante could see that something _had_ happened. Or not so much happened as appeared. With every step they took forward, a world appeared around them. A magnificent moon slowly illuminated their path, trees the color of lavender and velvet sprouted around them, and as Dante looked up, an entire sea of stars sparkled into being. Like a star, a spot of light appeared ahead of them, and with every step they took closer, the light grew brighter until the shape of a temple appeared from the shadows, painted in shades of oranges, yellows, and pinks by the blazing fire inside a bowl on a pedestal. They were so close that Dante could see the outline of his brother ahead of him as Vergil spun on his heel to glare at Dante.

“I want you to know,” he grumbled lowly to Dante, “how much I _loathe_ you and your ridiculousness at this moment.”

“I loooove you,” Dante replied with a grin. 

Vergil’s serious face cracked a smile, and he stole a quick kiss before tugging Dante onward by the hand. 

As they stepped onto the marble floor of the temple, the three-bodied goddess appeared from the shadows. Dante felt his brother give him a nervous squeeze of his hand, which the younger returned. Hecate’s maiden form faced them, a sly smile on her lips as if knowing something or everything that the twin demons did not. From where he stood, Dante couldn’t see the emotions or expressions of her other two faces. 

“I’ve been awaiting your arrival, Sons of Sparda,” Hecate purred, her voice a harmony of three. Her maiden-voice seemed more pronounced, musical and soft like a songstress about to perform. “When Prince Zagreus came to me, I knew that you would soon follow.” Her sweet smile fell. “I can only hope, however, that you will abide by the rules of this place as well as he did. What dwells in my dark realm cannot leave. Though we stand now in the place between places, the destination in which you seek is still part of Hell. Her soul, though under my protection, is still bound to Death. She cannot leave.”

Dante swallowed hard, but nodded. “Yeah,” he replied. “I mean um… We understand the rules of your domain. We are travelers and guests to your roads and passages, and it is your grace that guides and protects us.”

Vergil raised an eyebrow at his brother, but Hecate’s smile returned at the affirmation. 

“I see into your heart, Dante,” she sang, “and know that you speak the truth. Step forward, and I will grant you what you seek.” 

The twins looked between one another before sharing a shrug. Dante let go of his brother and stepped closer to the burning pyre and the goddess, hiding his nervousness behind bravado. She grasped his wrist and ran a nail over his palm. He hissed, flinched, trying to yank his hand free, but the blood had already been drawn. Her iron grip held him still as she pinched in the blood of his palm and pulled a key from his flesh that looked to be made from crimson metal. His palm healed at a touch.

“You have come to me in search of your mother’s spirit,” Hecate told him. “And she is here. This key that I have made from your heart’s blood will guide you to her. Should you wish to return to her, unlock any door of the Underworld with this key, and you will find her on the other side.” Her smile went serious, and her tone darkened. “This gift is given to you in good faith, Dante. Do not break this trust.”

“Then why give it?” Dante asked, his hand still in her grasp.

She smiled as she pressed the key into his hand and curled his fingers around it. “Because I have seen the paths ahead of you. There is one that I am trusting you to take, but for you to reach that path, you must first see her.” Hecate gave his hand a gentle pat. “You will come to me again, Dante, should you remain true to your path. Consider this time between our encounters as… a sort of trial of our trust. Do you understand?”

“Don’t abuse the key, don’t try to bring Mom out of Hell, and don’t piss you off or else really, _really_ bad things will happen, most likely to me or Verge.” Dante gave her a half-grin. “Yeah, I think I can manage that for the most part.”

“Good.” The goddess released him and gestured to a path, illuminated by fireflies. “Follow that path. You will encounter a gate. Unlock it, and you will find her.” 

“Thank you…” Dante told her quietly, feeling his nervousness returning. 

With his free hand, Dante reached to Vergil. His elder grasped him without hesitation and let Dante lead for once. As soon as they stepped onto the firefly-lit path, the temple and fire vanished into darkness behind them. 

Dante stopped short. Vergil bumped into him, not expecting the stop. 

“What is it?” Vergil asked him quietly. 

“Why did she give the key to _me_ ?” Dante asked in return, his own voice a whisper in the shadows. “Why did she look into _my_ heart, and not yours? You want to see her too, right?”

He felt and heard Vergil sigh beside him. His hand was given a gentle squeeze. “You know the answer to that already, Dante… It’s the same reason you’re clutching the key against your chest with white knuckles. Why even in the firelight, you wouldn’t let me look at it. Why when we return to the House of Hades, you’ll keep it hidden somewhere on your person. Because she doesn’t trust me. _You_ don’t trust me. Because if given any avenue of opportunity, any _chance_ … the old me would try to bring her back.”

“I know…” Dante admitted, sighing heavily. “I just… I was hoping I was wrong.”

“Of the two of us, you are forever the dreamer and optimist.” Vergil paused, tasting his words before he spoke them. “I know… it’s a lot to ask of you… but please trust me. Knowing what the stakes are, that the wrath of a goddess and possibly your life is on the line, I won’t try to make the mistake I want to make. I won’t mess this up.”

“You sure as shit better not, because if you do, I’ll kill you and drag you back to Earth myself just to kill you again, and again, until you get it through your thick fucking skull…”

“Dante…”

A cool, gloved hand touched the stubble of his jaw, cupped his cheek in hand. He closed his eyes in the darkness as Vergil touched their foreheads together. His lips were so close, Dante could taste the wine still lingering on Vergil’s breath. 

“I love you, Dante,” Vergil whispered. He shook his head, and Dante could hear and _feel_ that pain in his voice. “I’ve lost you… I’ve lost you too many times that if I lose you again, it might kill me completely… I don’t want to lose you… Not even to my own foolishness… And I have been a fool, my love… I’ve been _such_ a blind fool… For you… for our love… I won’t ruin this. I _refuse_ to ruin this… I’ve brought enough death and destruction and pain to our doorstep, Dante… Hecate gave her key to our mother to you because she trusts you… and _I_ trust you… Now I ask that you trust me to not be an idiot about this…”

“You really like that word,” Dante mumbled.

Vergil chuffed quietly. “It _is_ among my favorite insults…”

Dante hummed in amusement, closing the distance between them to kiss his twin. He felt his elder submit to him, Vergil’s lips parting to accept Dante’s tongue and kiss. It was a short kiss, compared to others they’ve shared, but Dante didn’t want it to be long. It _just_ needed to be long enough to say what unsure words their lips failed to form. Love, reassurance, _trust_ …

They took a moment to catch their breath before continuing on. As promised, the plain garden gate appeared on the path ahead of them, the outline of it pale against the thousand fireflies that flickered like green string lights. Dante unlocked the gate with his ruby key, then tucked it into a pocket before hip-checking the gate open. 

“Oh Dante…” Vergil gasped, stopping a step beyond the gate and onto the gravel path.

He couldn’t believe it himself. “We’re… we’re home…”

The house was just as Dante remembered it. Every brick in its place, every flower against the fence where it belonged. There was no fire damage, no broken glass, no show of destruction or death. Dante tried to take a step forward but felt Vergil rooted in place behind him. 

“I can’t, Dante…” His voice was cracking already. “Oh _god_ , I can’t…”

“You _can,_ Verge… You have to…” He smiled at his twin, cupping his face in his hand. “Because I can’t do it without you. C’mon, we both knew this was goin’ to hurt… we both knew it was goin’ to hurt us _bad_ … but we need this… We’ve both wanted this so bad that we could taste it, all our lives. Our war is over. Can’t… can’t we just have this closure? And it’s not just _now_. You heard Hecate, we can come back. This is just the first of many visits…”

Vergil swallowed hard and nodded. He took a deep breath to steady himself and let it out slowly. “Okay… I think I’m ready…”

“Good… because I’m not…”

His brother barked a laugh, unprepared for the joke. Hand-in-hand, they walked closer to the house.

“I remember it being bigger…”

“Yeah, we were eight. _Everything’s_ huge to an eight year old.”

“Where do you suppose she is?”

“Knowin’ Mom?” Dante stopped to exchange a look with his twin. 

“Garden,” they both said at the same time.

Vergil tugged him to another stop before they could circle the manor. “What do we say?” he asked in a hushed whisper.

“Don’t know. Haven’t thought that far ahead. Figured we’d all be too busy cryin’ to really talk over tea.”

He rolled his eyes. “I mean when we meet her. Will… will she believe we are who we say we are? Will she believe we’re her sons, or will she treat us like strangers?”

“Verge, I’m sure she’d know her sons anywhere.”

“You don’t know that. What if she’s forgotten us?”

Dante leveled a _look_ at him that made Vergil startle back. The younger twin flicked his brother’s forehead lightly, then turned the corner and dragged Vergil with him along the path. The garden was right where he remembered it was, complete with its little hedge maze and cobblestone circle labyrinth. 

And between the rows of herbs and flowers, he saw her at work.

“Oh Dante…” Vergil whispered at the sight of her golden hair, almost glowing in the light of the lanterns around the house. 

She was exactly as Dante remembered her, even with her back to them. He could even see the red shawl she liked and her black gown, and he knew exactly how both would feel under his hand. “She probably still smells like roses and lavender and all those dried herbs…”

“Like magic…”

“Yeah…”

They stepped closer, and unsure of what to do, Dante swallowed hard. His voice felt small and weak even in his own throat. 

“Mom?”

Eva sat up from her work immediately and looked around, as if not sure if she had heard the broken whisper. Her head turned in their direction, and there was no taking it back. She’d seen them. Her hands came slowly to her face, and then she was a flurry of movement as she struggled to stand and grab her skirts and run all at the same time. Dante tried to smile, tried to be the pillar of strength for all of them, but even his vision of her blurred as tears filled his eyes and choked his throat. 

She came just outside of arm’s reach of them, her excited running suddenly turning to caution. “What… what manner of shades are you?” Eva asked. “Are… are you _real_? My Dante…” Her eyes flicked past him, and she let out a strained whine. “My Vergil… Please… If this is torture for my past sins, please let it end…”

He shook his head and took a step forward. “Mom, we’re real… We’re really here… We met with Hecate, and -”

Dante didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence. She let out a sound that was both laugh and cry of pain, covering her mouth with both hands. Her hair sparkled in the lantern light as she shook her head. Suddenly she was laughing and crying, and she closed the distance between them in only a few steps. He opened his arms to her. Just as he predicted, she smelled of dried and pressed flowers, of that smell of pure _magic_ he looked for every time he went to a used book store. Sometimes he’d find that smell and cry. His shirt grew wet as she cried into his chest, clinging to him as if she were the child and he was her guardian. Dante unwrapped an arm from her and turned her to Vergil. 

His noble twin, stoic as usual, was putting on a brave face for Eva. But even Dante could see the sadness and joy in his steel eyes. He buckled as easily as she did, his emotions once held under a tight grip suddenly spilling from him as she pulled him into her arms. He held onto her as if letting go would mean losing her again, his shoulders shaking in silent sobs of his own. Dante smiled to himself through his own emotions and hugged them both. She shakily unwrapped an arm from Vergil to hold them both at the same time. The air between them was hot and wet, almost suffocating, but none of them made a move to separate. 

“My sons…” Eva finally had the strength to speak again. “Oh goddess, bless your name forever… My sons have found me… I thought… Oh goddess, I thought I would never see either of you ever again… Not until…” She whined at the thought, as if she had been physically stabbed. “Oh _god_ no… Please… Please tell me you’re…”

“We’re not dead, Mom,” Dante assured her with a choked laugh. “We’re alive… We had to see you… We heard you were here and we had to see you…”

She nodded. “Just… Please… for now… Just let me hold you… Just let me hold you and love you… My sons… We can talk later… Just let me hold you… This time… just let me hold you…”


	32. Chapter 32

Somehow, they had all ended up sitting on the cobblestone path along Eva’s herb and flower garden. Vergil wasn’t sure whose legs had given out first, or if all three of them had decided as one that their emotional reunion would be best done sitting, but he also was in no position to complain. Eva was in his arms, her cheek on his shoulder as she leaned against him, pressed into him by Dante behind her. His younger twin had his cheek on her shoulder as well. The tears and sobbing had gone quiet long ago, but that didn’t stop Vergil from longing for being a child again, if only to hold her properly. 

Now that Vergil had her back, he didn’t want to let go.

“I haven’t aged a day since my death,” Eva whispered in the quiet between them. “But time has been unkind to you both…”

Dante chuffed. “It ain’t the years… It’s the mileage.”

She chuckled quietly, smiling as she shook her head. “Is this a dream? Are you truly here?” 

“It’s no dream, Mother,” Vergil replied, pushing her away from him by her shoulders just enough to brush her hair from her face. Seeing her so close, Vergil saw her tears glittering in her bright blue eyes. “We have fought to Hell and back… just to see you again… even if it's for one more time… one more moment…”

His twin rolled his eyes as he sat up, sniffling. “Don’t let him fool you. We’ve got a special pass to come visit you more often.”

Eva laughed through her tears, wiping them away with a corner of her shawl. “Don’t… don’t tease me like that, Dante… Don’t give me hope when…”

Her words trailed away as he brought out the ruby key and held it out to her. She hesitantly took it, carefully holding it in her palm to inspect. Her smile wavered, and as her emotions returned, she brought her hand to her lips to hide her tearful smile. Eva shook her head as she handed the key back to him. 

“Why…” Eva started to ask. “ _How_ … Hecate has given you the greatest blessing you could ask for… Why would she grant this?”

“Because you are favored among her followers and pupils?” Vergil ventured a guess.

Dante shrugged. “Somethin’ about followin’ a certain path, and we had to meet you for us to be on the right one?”

“Riddles,” Eva sighed the word as she smoothed her dress over her legs. “My goddess speaks in riddles and puzzles… I should have known better than to ask in the first place…” She let out a long sigh and nodded to herself. “Will you stay a while? Have some tea with me and tell me a little of your lives before you go?”

Her youngest rolled his eyes. “Nah Mom, we figured we’d come all this way just to cry for a good half hour and then leave…” Dante grinned at her. “Yeah, we planned on stayin’ for dinner at least. Got to get back to the castle to plan a wedding.”

“Castle?” Eva asked, her eyes wide in wonder. “Wedding?” She grasped Dante’s arm. “Who is getting married?”

“Your grandson,” Vergil answered with a small smile. 

“I have a grandson?” She let out an excited squeal. “I have a grandson! Oh goodness, tell me more about him. Which of you does he belong to? Who is he getting married to? Why didn’t he come along with you? Oh please tell me we’ll have a chance to meet…”

Dante laughed, holding her shoulders steady. “Easy, easy! One question at a time, okay?”

“Tea first,” Vergil suggested, standing on legs that tingled from being sat on wrong. He offered her a hand and helped Eva to her feet. The elder twin smiled, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. Despite her dedication to her garden, her hands weren’t rough or calloused. Her touch was always gentle. “And then we will answer any and every question you have for us, Mother.”

“Yes, of course,” she mumbled, dusting her gown off. Eva stood on tip-toes to kiss his cheek, and then Dante’s. “Oh my sons…” She took a hand each and held them to her lips to kiss. “Words… I can’t even begin to describe how happy I am… First to be reunited with my Sparda… and then my sons…” Eva shook her head. “This is no Hell… but a Heaven of our own…” She sniffled and let go of their hands to wipe the tears from her own cheeks. “I’m sorry… Tea… I’ll be but a moment… I promise… I’m coming back…”

“We’ll be right here,” Dante promised.

Eva nodded, finally finding the strength to walk away. She looked back every few steps, just to make sure, before disappearing through the side door directly into the kitchen. 

“She’s…”

“Wonderful,” Vergil finished for his brother with the same dreamy sigh. 

“Will we be able to walk away, Verge?” 

“We don’t have a choice…” He pulled out a chair from her dainty white table and sat down. Vergil removed _Yamato_ from his side to lean against the table. “As you said, we have pressing matters to attend to elsewhere… and should we continue to honor the conditions of all parties involved, we will have plenty of opportunity to visit in the future.”

Dante sat across from him and pressed his hands together as if in prayer. But as he fanned his fingers and held them to his lips, his expression became less angelic and more thoughtful. Vergil could see the gears turning behind Dante’s eyes. As much as he insulted his younger brother’s intelligence, Vergil knew better. _He’s called the demon detective for a reason,_ he reminded himself as he watched him sort out his thoughts.

“Dad’s here,” Dante finally said out of the blue. 

“What makes you so certain?”

He shrugged. “Mom’s comment a moment ago, about being reunited with Sparda… And considerin’ where we are… At this very moment, Dad’s somewhere inside.”

Vergil’s eyes lifted to the windows of the house, trying to peer inside from his seat in a feeble attempt to steal a glance at their father. But either his sight had gone poor over the years or Sparda didn’t lurk in the shadows of the windows and drapes. He scowled.

“Why doesn’t he come down and meet us?” Vergil asked, giving up on looking for the ancient demon and turning his attention back to his brother.

“We’ve already had one emotional moment with Mom… Either he doesn’t want to spoil it by bein’ here or he’s waitin’ until we’re both back at full strength.”

The icy twin chuffed. “Both would be logical. Considering all that transpired…” He shook his head. “I have no love for Father.”

Dante nodded a little. “When I was a kid… I blamed him for everything that happened. And I’ve been holdin’ on to that anger for all my life. I don’t think I could just… let go of it.”

“Nor I.”

The kitchen door opened behind him, and both twins sat up from their relaxed slouches as Eva returned with a tray in her hands. “You two had such serious looks on your faces… I didn’t interrupt anything, did I?”

“Not at all, Mother,” Vergil assured her with a smile. “Just… coming to terms with so many sudden changes in our lives…”

“I see…” She poured a cup of tea and handed it to Vergil. As the icy demon sipped it, he noticed that there were still leaves of tea floating in his water. Dante paused as well, and Vergil wondered if his twin had the same thought he did: _Is she trying to sneak a tea-leaf reading out of us?_ Eva tucked her gown under her knees as she sat between them and daintily held her own porcelain cup in her hands. “Now then… We have so much to catch up on that I hardly know where to start.”

“Current events?” Dante offered with a grin.

Eva smiled and nodded. “Very well then. The castle… the wedding… this grandson of mine… Tell me all about what’s going on, and spare no detail.”


	33. Chapter 33

They stayed for only one pot of tea, just long enough to tell the story of Nero, Zagreus, and the House of Hades backwards. Vergil, Dante noticed with a teasing smirk, stopped the story right when they landed in the House of Hades the first time. The younger twin figured Vergil wasn’t ready to confess his crimes against humanity to their mother’s face directly and kept silent on the topic. 

When time came to leave, Dante wasn’t surprised by Vergil’s sudden reluctance. He patiently stood back and tried to give them some privacy in their last, heartfelt moments together. _For now,_ he told himself. _We ain’t sayin’ good-bye forever. Just for now._

“I don’t want to go,” he heard Vergil whisper as he held their mother’s hands to his chest. “I don’t want to leave you again… I finally have you back in my life, I don’t want you to lose you again… For the first time that I can remember, I finally feel at peace…”

“Oh, my sweet Vergil…” Eva sighed, touching her forehead to his. “I’m here. You know how to find me now. This isn’t a long good-bye. You’ll come back to see me, to tell me more tales of your life.”

“Come with me…” 

Dante felt his heart skip a beat at Vergil’s words. The younger twin wanted to stop him, to warn him of Hecate’s words, but stopped short of doing so. _Trust him…_ Dante thought as he bit his lip in nervousness. _I have to trust him._

Vergil continued on, ignorant of Dante’s internal struggle. “Come with me,” he told Eva again. “We can take you back to the mortal world. We know the way. Come with us home.”

She shook her head, smiling sadly. “I _am_ home, Vergil… I died long ago, and my soul lives here. If I were to leave, my soul would fade away, reclaimed either by Hecate herself or by another greater power. I love you, my Vergil, but I can’t come with you.”

“Then I don’t want to leave,” he whined. “I want to stay here with you.”

“You must leave, Vergil.” Her voice was still gentle, despite her dire words. “You are alive still. Please, live your life. Visit me when you can, but please… don’t dedicate yourself to my memory. You have so many years left in you, so many great things to do. You must keep moving forward. Clinging to your past… clinging to _me_ will only blind you…”

He swallowed hard, his voice and protests catching in his throat as she kissed his forehead. Dante pushed himself off the wall he leaned on, crossing the distance in a few strides to grasp Vergil by the hand. 

“C’mon, Verge… We got a long walk back and a lot to talk about.”

Eva smiled at them. “Take care of your brother, Dante. Take care of each other.”

Dante gave her a wave before leading Vergil into the darkness between places. His elder said nothing, saddened into silence until the forgotten garden of the House of Hades materialized under their boots. 

“That was fast,” Dante mumbled as they entered the familiar hallway. “You think Mom sent us back with her witch magic?”

Vergil shook his head. “Something tells me it was Hecate herself… or the magic of her key upon your person. A door can swing both ways, and a key can open a lock from either side.”

He sighed and nodded, stopping at the lounge to peek in. “Don’t see Zag or Nero around. You want a drink or somethin’?”

“I’d rather be alone right now, Dante…”

With only a nod, Dante continued on, past the lounge, past Hades’ desk with hardly a glance in the god’s direction, all the way to their chamber. Vergil didn’t resist him, his body as giving as a doll’s as Dante pried _Yamato_ from his hand and leaned it against the wall. Next was Vergil’s coat, which he hung by the door before setting Vergil on the edge of the bed. 

His brother seemed to awaken from his spell when Dante tugged his boots off and set them aside. 

“Dante, what are you doing?”

“Well, I was _plannin’_ on gettin’ you undressed and into a hot bath.”

“I don’t need a bath, you oaf. I need…”

Dante quirked an eyebrow at him, waiting patiently for Vergil to tell him exactly what he needed. His elder floundered, sputtering as he looked around for an excuse or answer. Vergil buried his face in his hands and rubbed his eyes with his palms. 

“I need… to get my thoughts in order… but… but I _can’t_ … I can’t focus on anything. Every thought… every word just slips away… out of my grasp and my mind… Ever since I was put back together… I can still hear them, Dante… My other parts… My other _selves_ … They quarrel when I least desire, and yet… when I actively seek their aid… they are silent…” 

The younger twin sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He sat up on his knees between Vergil’s, just enough to touch their foreheads together. Dante’s eyes closed at their sacred nearness and the infinite inch between them. 

“Talk to me, Verge,” Dante begged quietly. “Tell me what’s got you messed up, ‘n’ we can work it out together, okay? If Urizen ‘n’ V can’t help you… maybe I can.”

“ _This_ ,” Vergil said suddenly. “ _This_ has me messed up.”

His heart sank through the floor. Dante swallowed in a throat suddenly dry to try to unclench nervous muscles. “You mean… us?”

Vergil pulled away suddenly. “What? No? No!” His eyes went wide with realization. He cupped Dante’s face in his hands and pulled him into a kiss that was immediately passionate and desperate and needy. Dante nearly moaned from it, his eyes closing as Vergil dominated his mouth and tongue. Both of them were breathless by the time Vergil let go of the kiss, touching their foreheads together again. “No… _Us_ is not what has me messed up… I mean… It is and it isn’t…”

“You’re not makin’ sense, Verge…”

“That’s what I was _trying_ to tell you!” Vergil exclaimed, grasping Dante’s shoulders and shaking them. “ _Us_ doesn’t have me messed up. _Gods_ , I would not give this up or change it. But… it’s _Mother_ , Dante… What would _Mother_ think about us… like… like _this_?”

Dante pulled away now, blinking as his eyes went past Vergil’s shoulder to the decorated wall. He tested what he wanted to say in his mind a couple of times, just to make sure he knew he could deliver without stuttering. 

“She’d think that we both had a traumatizing childhood experience that made us seek physical validation for our emotions, and in the end found comfort with each other through sexual expression?”

His brother stared at him. 

“What?”

“Dante, you…” Vergil sighed and rolled his eyes. “You _insufferable_ … _Ugh_ , I’m so flustered, I can’t even insult you properly! No, she wouldn’t… think all that! She’s a witch, not a psychologist. She’d be _disappointed_!”

It was Dante’s turn to roll his eyes. “Oh for _fuck’s_ sake… So _what_ if she’s disappointed in us? We don’t exist _for_ her! Fuck, we’ve lived our lives without her this far. So _what_ if she finds out we fuck and gets all hung up on it?”

Vergil shook his head. “Dante, everything we’ve done has led up to this. Every step both of us have taken was to try to get her ba-”

“No, it isn’t,” Dante interrupted him. “Vergil, I can’t speak for you and your quests for power… but everything I’ve done? None of it was to get her back. _I’m_ not the one who made a deal with the God of the Dead to figure out where her soul was. Yeah, I’ve had to deal with a mimic of Mom for the last… _fuck_ , ten years?” _Has it really been ten years? Fuck I’m old..._ He shook the thought from his mind. “Trish isn’t Mom, never once _acted_ like she was Mom, and never once treated me like I was a kid. Hell, she tried to _kill_ me!”

“Don’t we all?” 

“The point is, Verge… I have a picture of Mom on my desk for the sake of remembering her and honoring her, but bringing her back from the dead?” Dante shook his head. “I didn’t live my life around Mom… Everything I’ve done has been for _you_.”

He watched Vergil’s blue eyes get big in surprise. 

“I never told you, because we never got the chance to sit down and talk,” Dante went on. “And I’ve wanted to tell you… every time you came back, I wanted to tell you how much I’ve looked for you, _chased_ every lead that might bring me back to you. But I never got the chance because our swords crossed before we could even speak. Ever since the bullshit that went down at Bobby’s Cellar, I’ve been looking for you. And when I thought I could try to talk some sense into you at Temen-Ni-Gru, you jumped…” He chuffed and ran a hand through his hair, slumping his head into Vergil’s lap. “I named the shop after you… You know that right? Everyone says that ‘oh, it’s because Dante’s such a badass that when he goes hunting, even the devil may cry for mercy’, but that ain’t it… I named it for you, because of something dumb Lady said after everything that happened…”

“Dante, what are you saying?”

The younger twin looked up at his elder, smiling through his own returning tears. “I cried for you, Vergil… I cried for you that night, and every night after I bury you… and Lady said something that stuck with me so much, I made it my tagline. ‘Somewhere out there, even a devil may cry when he loses someone he loves.’” Dante shook his head. “Vergil, I love you. I know it may come as a shock to you, forgetting that I’ve said it so many fucking times already, but I love you. I mean it, and I mean it every time I say it, even when I’m teasing you. And if I had to choose between loving you or Mom… I dunno… _not_ being disappointed? I’d choose you every day, and twice on Sunday, just to be extra sinful.”

Vergil chuffed quietly, smiling through his own messy emotions. He pulled Dante into another kiss, this one slow and soft, there and gone before it could become anything too sultry. “You are…” His hands ran over Dante’s chest and shoulders, and he shrugged out of his red duster as Vergil’s hands separated it from his shirt. “Absolutely ridiculous…” He sighed heavily, touching their foreheads together again. “So you’re fine with Mother learning that we are… more than just brothers?”

“Yeah… What’s the worst she could do? Yell at us? Beat us with a rolling pin?”

He laughed. 

Dante waited until quiet began to creep in on them again before speaking. “Anything else you want to talk about?” 

“There is, actually…” Vergil hesitated, and Dante gave him all the time he needed. “Nero… and Prince Zagreus… Now that we have acquired a method of seeing Mother again, I’m… not sure if it is necessary to make them go through with something neither of them want. And now that I’ve said it out loud, I’m beginning to wonder if it was a bad idea…”

“Seriously, Verge?” Dante leveled a flat look at him that made Vergil look away guiltily. “You’re only _now_ figurin’ this out? No, it wasn’t a _bad_ idea… It was a _dumbass_ idea! Because let’s be real… I said it before, and I’m sayin’ it again… We _both_ wanted to fuck Zag. I’m not ashamed to admit it. He’s young, handsome, stubborn, a dumbass… You might feel a little guilty for gettin’ hot ‘n’ heavy for someone other than me, but that’s because you’re still figurin’ out what you like to begin with, so you get a pass. I’m what… one of the only two people you’ve ever had sex with?”

“How kind of you to keep my questionable sexuality in consideration…”

“I’m tryin’ to tell you that it’s _okay_ , you pompous dingleberry!”

Vergil rose an eyebrow at him. “That’s a new one.”

“Do you know what a dingleberry even is?”

“Do you?”

“I wouldn’t have used that insult if I didn’t know what it is.”

“Then what is it?”

“That’s not the point!” Dante waved his hands as if to wave away the conversation topic. “What I’m getting at is one, it’s okay that you’re horny for Zag, because who here _isn’t_ ? And two, yeah, makin’ them get married _just_ so we can get a fast pass into the Underworld and back was a dumbass idea. The problem is, now that you’ve talked to Hades about it, there’s no backtracking.”

“We could speak with Nero and Prince Zagreus when they return. Perhaps if all four of us pressure him, Hades would be willing to void the contract.”

“Later,” Dante told him, his fingers working on unbuttoning Vergil’s vest.

“Later?”

“Well, they ain’t here, so we’ll have to wait until later.”

“Well… yes, of course, but what do you intend to do until they return?”

Dante grinned, opening his brother’s vest to expose his bare chest. “What else? I plan on fuckin’ you senseless again. Gotta get that emotional stress relief outta you _somehow_ , and fuckin’s the only way I know how to do it…”

Vergil moaned his name as Dante got to work on undoing his fly and helping himself to his twin’s submissive body.


	34. Chapter 34

Fighting his way down to the Underworld had been a walk in the rain compared to fighting back up and out, but Nero still found himself grinning. Sure, Zag was a little weird for seeing things and talking to things that the devil hunter couldn’t see, but he chalked it up to being Underworld magic or something to do with the gods themselves. Having someone fight by his side felt _good_. The two kept out of each other’s way during each encounter, and even went so far as to warn one another if an attack looked like it would catch them off-guard. Nero tried to remember the last time he’d been out on patrol or demon hunting with a partner; he figured it was somewhere during the Qliphoth incident, when he crossed paths with Dante or V before they split off again on their separate ways. But it was different then. 

Back then, Dante was just his friend, just a fellow hunter. There was no romantic interest between the two of them, and Dante only suspected that they were family. Back then, Nero battled to impress Dante more than save the world, to prove to the older man that he knew his way around a fight. _As if Fortuna hadn’t been enough_ , Nero thought with a scowl as he rolled away from a charging Numbskull and shot it to pieces before it could turn its attention to him. His eyes skimmed the battlefield, and he leveled _Blue Rose_ ’s sights on another Numbskull as it vibrated, preparing to charge. The shade splintered into dozens of pieces before it could lunge. 

Now, the battle was different. 

A ruby bloodstone flashed across his nose, striking a wretched witch before it could cast its energy orb at Nero’s back. Zag followed after his cast, slamming down on the shade with his own sword. It shrieked and shattered into ashes after two more slices, and the prince turned a grin to Nero. 

His heart and stomach fluttered at that grin. Nero looked away, rubbing his nose with his arm to hide his blush. A few feet away from them, there was a burst of light and a glittering purple jewel appeared from thin air. The gift of the gods distracted Zag enough for Nero to get his face under control. 

It wasn’t just the battle that was different.

 _Everything_ felt different.

Now Nero was conscious of every swing of _Red Queen_ , of every shot from _Blue Rose_ , of every snatch of a distant enemy with _Rawhide_ , as if the prince were watching and judging him. Which Nero knew wasn’t true. Zag was just as preoccupied as he was with each battle, but that didn’t make that feeling of self-awareness go away or any easier. 

“Looks like there’s only one way to go,” Zag spoke, pulling Nero from his thoughts. He nodded pointedly to the glass orb in a doorway, floating rainbow gemstones in its center. 

Nero nodded, making a gesture for Zag to lead the way. It took everything in him to keep from bowing and asking, “Shall we dance?” before a battle, but Nero knew deep down that if he did, it wouldn’t be Cool™. He kept his taunts to himself, suddenly asking if everything he said or did revealed that he was using badassness to hide how much of a dork he really was. Zag seemed oblivious and shrugged, reaching a hand to the orb and shattering it with a thought to open the door into the next chamber.

The next room was surprisingly empty, though intimidating in that there were statues of Meg flanking the door. Even Zag’s confident smirk flipped at the sight of the First of the Furies immortalized in stone. He collected the gift of gemstones in the center of the room, then hesitated. 

“Mind if we take a bit of a breather?” Zag asked his companion. The prince rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “I’m… I never really look forward to this next battle…”

“Difficult enemy?” Nero asked with a half-grin.

“An ex.”

“ _Oof_. Yikes. Yeah, we can rest for a minute.” 

Zag nodded and a thick fog of awkward tension rose between them. It was a feeling of “okay, now what” that neither of them said out loud. Wanting to put some space between them to clear his head, Nero headed for a wall and leaned against it. He distracted himself with inspecting _Blue Rose_ and reloading her from an ammo pack in his jacket. The double-barrel revolver needed to be cleaned. He twirled it in his hand a couple of times, feeling the weight of it before holstering the weapon. Next, he pulled his arm free of _Rawhide_ . The interior of the gauntlet was sticky with sweat, and it felt too tight. _Need to let Nico know, so the next one fits better._ He patted himself down, but didn’t find what he was looking for. _Figures. Go all the way to the Underworld, and I don’t find out that I forgot my screwdriver until I’m on my way back._

“What is that?”

Nero looked up from his inspection to meet Zag’s mismatched eyes that were a little too close. He flinched back, though he didn’t go far since he was already against a wall. Zag was standing _right_ in front of him, in what Nero’s sword instructor called the “no no zone”. _Too close_ , he thought with a blush, clearing his throat.

“This thing?” Nero held up _Rawhide_.

The prince quietly nodded.

“It’s um… It’s a long story.”

A single dark eyebrow arched, and Zag crossed his arms over his chest. “Aren’t we supposed to be getting to know each other?” Zag asked, his head tilting a little at Nero.

“I mean… yeah, I guess…”

“And are we not taking a moment to rest between battles?”

“Uh… yeah?”

Zag smiled, as if he had won something. “Then tell me the long story.”

The devil hunter laughed sheepishly, hiding his grin with his arm for a moment. “You always this stubborn?”

“Absolutely.”

He grinned more and chuffed, shaking his head. Zag leaned against the wall beside him, and he handed over _Rawhide_ for Zag to hold and inspect closer. 

“Okay, so,” Nero started. “When I was a kid, I grew up on this island pretty far away from the rest of the world. Closed-off, isolated… we didn’t know much about anything except our home and our little secret society. And on this island, everyone worshipped this demon named Sparda.”

“The one who sealed the demon world and human world.”

“Yeah, that guy! Wait… How did you know about Sparda?”

“Achilles told me.”

“ _T_ _he_ Achilles?”

Zag laughed a little and nodded. “Yes, _the_ Achilles. But go on. This is your story, not his.”

“Right… Anyway, so everyone on this island worshipped Sparda. Called him the Savior and based their whole way of life around him. Including me. When I was old enough, I was pulled into the ranks of the Holy Knights. We patrolled the area to protect the citizens and hunted demons.” Nero sighed heavily, his gaze falling to his right hand. He tried to rub away the memory, as if his skin was still scales and glowing. “But it turns out, I was a demon too… Didn’t know it, because there are demons that look like humans that can just… live in the human world with no problem.”

The prince nodded in understanding. “Theseus often calls me a demon and a monster when I battle against him… I always thought it was because of my eyes or my power… Now I wonder if he is like the Order you were a part of. Where he believed that there were demons that looked like humans in his part of the world… Demons that he has sworn to defeat in order to protect a people he was sworn to defend…” 

“Maybe…” 

“I apologize… I shouldn’t have interrupted.”

“Nah, it’s alright. You empathize, and I appreciate that. Not many people do.”

Zag smiled at him and nodded once more. “Go on. With your story, I mean.”

“Yeah… Well, one day there was a bad demon attack. Normally when we’re on patrol, we’d only find one or two stragglers, but this time it was…” Nero shook his head. “I was able to kill them all, but I got wounded pretty bad from it.” He dragged four fingers across his shoulder and bicep. “Right here. Thought I was going to lose my whole arm from it, but I didn’t. Instead, my arm… well, it _changed_. Grew red scales and claws that glowed blue, kinda like the way your feet do.” He took a heavy sigh and continued. “A couple years later, Vergil shows up at my doorstep, but he wasn’t… all there. Like he’d been broken and put together sloppily. Before I can even react, he grabs my arm and tears it off at the elbow.” 

“Holy shit,” Zag whispered.

Nero chuffed. “Yeah… Left me bleeding in my own garage. My buddy, Nico, though… She makes weapons for fun. So she made me a prosthetic… a fake arm. But better. I could control my fingers and all the working parts inside it. And not just one arm, but several, each with their own sort of special abilities and quirks. That one,” he nodded pointedly to _Rawhide_ in Zag’s hands, “can turn into a barbed whip that I use to grab enemies and bring them closer. When my arm grew back, she had to go and make new ones that could fit over my arm instead of being plugged in at my elbow.”

“Humans can grow back body parts?”

“What? No!” Nero laughed, shaking his head. “No, my arm grew back when I triggered for the first time. Something about demons being able to regenerate. And since I’m part demon, I guess I can grow back missing pieces. Haven’t really tried it.”

“Don’t want to be wrong and end up missing an arm again?”

“Or a leg, yeah.”

Zag laughed a little and nodded. The prince went quiet with thought, and the fluttering butterflies of nervousness tickled Nero’s belly once again. 

_What do you say to all that?_ Nero wondered, his eyes falling to the stone floor. _Does he think I’m a freak?_ He huffed through his nose. _Maybe if he thinks I am, he’ll call off our dumb engagement. Shouldn’t that make me happy though? Instead, I feel..._

“What is triggering?”

The question took him by surprise that Nero wasn’t sure what he meant at first. “Oh, um… It’s what we call changing into our demon shape. Devil Trigger. Don’t know _why_ , just that…” Nero shrugged. “It is.”

Zag nodded once more. He gave _Rawhide_ a last glance before handing it over to Nero. “You haven’t triggered in any of our fights yet, have you?”

“Haven’t needed to,” Nero replied, putting the customized gauntlet back on. “I’m still… gettin’ used to it. All my life, being told ‘demons bad, humans good’, and suddenly becoming the thing I’ve been fighting… It takes some getting used to. I try to save it for when I need to, like when a fight starts gettin’ real bad.”

The prince grinned and leaned close to Nero, so that their shoulders were touching. Nero saw his eyes flick from his lips up to meet his gaze. His mouth went wet with desire, and he swallowed the urge away.

“You’ll have to show me sometime,” Zag whispered to him. 

He grinned a little. “We still talkin’ about my devil trigger or somethin’ else?”

Zag’s lips curled into a mischievous smirk. “Oh, I’ll want to see that too…” 

“Dependin’ on how this next fight goes…”

Grabbing Nero’s hand, Zag pulled him towards the only door out. Nero didn’t resist, letting the prince lead him through the door and into the chamber. 

“Glad to see you’re in a fighting mood, Meg,” Zag greeted her, the Fury standing in the center of the room. 

“Always, when it comes to you, Zagreus,” she purred in reply, stretching her wing. Her eyes flicked to Nero. “Don’t think I’ll go easy on you because of Kyrie. If anything, this fight is going to be very cathartic.”

“For you?” Nero asked, drawing _Blue Rose_.

“For all of us.”


	35. Chapter 35

Vergil was incredibly and comfortably warm, squished into the bed with Dante half laying on him. At some point, he knew he fell asleep because he remembered dreaming, though what he was dreaming about, he couldn’t remember. The eldest twin just knew that his brother’s fingers, drawing idle circles on his arm, were starting to rub him raw, and he needed to use the bathroom really badly. He kissed Dante’s arm, then tapped it twice. Dante unfurled his arm from around Vergil’s shoulders and rolled back, off of him. When Vergil came back minutes later, Dante rolled back onto him like a pizza-scented weighted blanket. The icy twin shuffled a little to face his mate.

“What do we do now?” Dante asked, his fingers stroking Vergil’s skin in a new place at the small of his back. 

“I don’t know,” was the quiet answer. Dante’s eyes opened to meet his gaze, and light fingertips traced the younger twin’s lips. “I know we’re not at a stalemate, but I can’t predict the next move.”

Dante sighed and nodded. “Well… First things first, we gotta find a better way to get in and out of the House. I got lucky finding that active Hellgate, but I had Trish break it behind me.”

“Why would you do something so foolish?”

He gave Vergil a stern look. “To keep other demons from going back and forth. Duh. But back to macro. As much fun as Zag’s having doin’ things the painful way, even _I’m_ willin’ to admit that fightin’ gets tirin’ after a while.”

Vergil sighed heavily. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, Dante had a point. “Even if we do manage to find an active Hellgate anywhere else, there’s no guarantee that it will lead us back _here_. Hell and the Underworld are vast… endless… the odds are…” He shook his head. “Cutting a rift takes too much power. If I do it again without further aid or enhancement… As ridiculous as it sounds, Dante… I need more power…” 

“No, I know…” Dante grunted a little as he shuffled in bed again, laying on his back. His arm around Vergil’s shoulders pulled the elder twin into his side, his head on Dante’s shoulder. _For switches, I have been submitting to him too much as of late,_ Vergil thought, running his fingers through Dante’s coarse chest hair. _Perhaps next time, I’ll find it in me to dominate him. He needs taken care of too…_ His brother continued. “And then there’s Mom. I want to visit her again. But I also want to get back to the shop. Get back to work.”

“You have a steady job?” Vergil asked, smirking at him a little. “When I found you, you were without power, plumbing, gas…”

“It was a slow season!” 

The elder could only laugh. 

“It’s been nice here,” Dante went on. “Like… vacation nice. Didn’t think I’d actually find myself enjoying the Underworld nice.” He shook his head. “But as much as I enjoy sittin’ around, doin’ nothin’ but you, I miss livin’ on the surface. I miss my shop. I miss the girls. I miss goin’ out late at night, ridin’ through my city with a sword on my back, a motorcycle between my thighs, and a demon in my sights. Don’t you?”

He sat up over Dante. “My memories of the human world aren’t as… fond as yours are. I loathed my human blood since that day, and even after facing my humanity and embracing it… No… I’m sorry, Dante, but I don’t miss the surface.”

A serious expression quickly replaced Dante’s smile. His hand reached up to run rough fingers through Vergil’s hair. It was thankfully still too short to grab, but that didn’t stop Vergil’s shiver as those fingers touched the back of his neck. Dante gripped him just right to turn Vergil’s head, forcing their gazes together.

“What would you do, Verge?” Dante asked in a voice that was low and dangerous. “If you had to choose. If you could only ever live in the Underworld or the human world and never go back to the other ever again… what would you choose?”

His eyes flicked away from Dante’s, looking instead at the pillow that cushioned his head. _Could I do it?_ Vergil licked his lips in thought, then pulled in his lower lip with his teeth to chew the skin off. _Could I abandon him again for Mother? Or could I cut Mother from my life again for him?_

Dante shook his head and huffed, pushing Vergil off of him to get out of bed. The sudden absence of his twin shook Vergil from his senses. The room was cold without his match beside him. He sat up to watch Dante search around their sea of clothes for his underwear and pull them on.

“Where are you going?” His voice sounded small, even to him. 

“Hell if I know,” Dante grumbled. “See if Meg’s around to spar with. Or beat up on that Skelly dude. Just somethin’ to get my anger out.”

“Anger? Dante, what have I done now?”

“You really don’t realize?” Dante asked. He slicked his hair back, but his bangs fell down again to frame his face. “Verge, you hesitated!”

“I need a moment to think! Wouldn’t you?”

“I can’t believe I have to even say it… No, Verge… I wouldn’t ‘need a moment to think’. If Hades him-fucking-self came up to me and said ‘Stay here forever or go back to the surface forever,’ I’d look him in the eye, flip him off with both hands, and tell him my answer right then and there!”

Vergil stared at his brother in disbelief. He couldn’t even begin to guess Dante’s answer. “What would your choice be then? Between the Underworld and the human world?”

Dante shook his head as he tugged on his pants. He crossed the distance between him and Vergil, grabbing his elder and pulling him into a rough kiss. When the kiss was over, their foreheads touched, and Dante whispered, “Same as it’s always been. On the surface, in the human world, with you.”

“And if I wanted to stay?” 

He bit back a whine. “What, am I not good enough of a reason to go back?”

“Nero will be here most of the time now, with Hades teaching him how to run the bureaucracy of the Underworld. And Mother is here.”

“Fuck’s sake, Verge… You’d choose Mom ‘n’ Nero over me?” 

“How is that different from you?” Vergil asked in return, his heart aching with every venom-filled word they slung at one another. _I’m so tired of crying that I have no tears left to shed. Only the stinging pain in my chest… Why is it we’re always fighting?_ “Are you not saying that you’d leave me for your precious world above? For your shop and for your girls and for your adrenaline-filled nights?” 

Dante’s eyes went wide as he listened to his elder’s words. He let out a pained whine, shaking his head. His hands cupped Vergil’s face. “No!” The younger hissed, as if the word had been punched from his gut. “No, I wouldn’t leave you. I _won’t_ leave you. I’ll go where you go. Even if that means bitchin’ the entire way.”

Vergil coughed a laugh, touching their foreheads together once more. _I thought I was about to lose him again…_

“You don’t have to choose, Verge,” he went on. “ _I_ don’t have to choose. We can come back for Mom ‘n’ Nero… We can visit both of them for Thanksgiving, Christmas, birthdays, and Cinco de fucking Mayo… It doesn’t have to be all or nothing. We don’t _have to_ choose!”

“For the time being, Dante?” He sighed heavily, leaning into his brother. “Yes, we do. Until we can learn how to travel between realms easily, we are stuck in either place.”

The younger twin huffed. “Fine. Whatever. Shit, we still haven’t figured out how we got from our Hell to here the first time.”

Vergil chewed on his lip nervously again. “That… is not entirely true.”

Dante pulled away from him. “What?”

He didn’t meet his brother’s gaze, and Dante didn’t try to force his attention. “I know how we arrived at the House of Hades. How we arrived in the Styx.”

There was a moment, a pause that Dante waited for his twin to fill. When Vergil said nothing, he rolled his eyes again. “Okay. How?”

Vergil took a deep breath, resisting the urge to ask his brother not to kill him. “When I was in the library, a portal opened.”

“Yeah. I know. I saw footage of you fucking swan-diving into the abyss. Again.”

“Yes, well… I landed… I entered the realm of Primordial Chaos…”

“ _Ugh!_ ” Dante pulled away enough to rub his face with his hands. “I was really hoping you weren’t goin’ to say that… Persephone told me about them… That they would have the answer… but of course it was _you_ that found them… Alright, fine. So you went and gave the creator of all life a big ol’ hug.”

“I assure you, it wasn’t that pleasant of an experience.”

“It was just a… whatever. Just. Continue.”

“Chaos admitted that they were the one to bring us to the Styx, and carried our bodies on it. As much as you were lying about Charon himself dumping us into the river, you weren’t… entirely wrong…” 

Dante shook his head. “But why? Why would Chaos want us _here_? To bring chaos?”

“No, that was not the impression I had. They warned that a war was coming between the Olympians and the Chthonic gods if current paths remained unchanged. They didn’t trust or have the patience for others to do what Chaos wanted, so they brought us here to prevent the war… somehow.”

“Didn’t say how?”

Vergil shook his head.

“So the whole thing about Nero and Zag, you just made that up?”

“No! I mean… I mean yes… While that was indeed my idea, it was still an attempt to create a bridge between realms. Whether or not that comes into fruition is not for us to decide. And in speaking with Hades privately during the negotiation, I was hoping to learn further information… I do want to speak with him… to both Nero and Zagreus… to assure them that this… arrangement doesn’t have to happen.”

“And what about Hades?”

“I don’t know…” Vergil ran a hand through his hair. “Perhaps he’ll be so grateful that this whole war thing didn’t happen that he’ll let us void the contract. Assuming we figure out how to do that in the first place…” 

“And the whole thing about the veil and gown?”

He chuffed. “I’m sure one of the two young men will still want to keep the heirlooms for future need.”

Dante sighed heavily, rubbing his eyes with his fingers and pinching the bridge of his nose. He stood and walked away, grabbing Vergil’s underwear and flinging it at his brother’s face. “Get dressed.”

“Why?”

“Shit, I better shave first…”

“Dante, what’s going on?”

His sky-blue eyes were as cold as winter. “We’re goin’ to see Dad.”


	36. Nero/Zag

The sudden coolness and fresh air of Elysium was such a relief from the fires of Asphodel that Zag always stopped to catch his breath entering that first chamber. He felt Nero bump into him and sigh at the gentle breeze that met them. They were still a long way from the Surface, and the endless fields of Elysium brought a tormenting, teasing taste of what awaited them after the final challenges. As they wandered onto the soft grass and stone path, Zag saw his companion wipe the sweat from his face with his shirt. His eyes followed a drop that traced down Nero’s abs to disappear on the waistband of his underwear as it peeked out from under his jeans. The prince tore his gaze away and pinched a corner of his toga to fan cool air against his chest and neck. Nero stumbled in his peripheral, though Zag couldn’t see why.

To either side of them were shallow pools of sparkling water, and ahead of them, two doors, blocked with crystal orbs. 

Nero brushed his arm against Zag’s as he stepped up to the prince’s side. “Mind if we take another break? Feels like _Rawhide_ ’s goin’ to melt into my arm if I don’t get it off soon, and I probably stink of blood and sweat…”

Zag leaned close to him, taking a deep breath. Though the devil hunter _did_ smell of sweat and blood, it was a scent that sent a pleasing ripple of warmth down Zag’s spine. He shook his head. “I don’t think you stink.”

“Yeah, well…” 

He nodded pointedly to the pools of water. “Those should be clean enough to drink from and bathe in.”

The devil hunter nodded and headed for the nearest one, shrugging out of his coat as he walked. He tossed his jacket onto the ground and sat on his knees at the edge of a pool. Zag licked his lips as he watched the other fighter scoop some water into his hand to drink. The prince stepped quietly to join him, kneeling a couple feet away to do the same. Nero didn’t seem to mind or notice Zag’s presence as he removed _Rawhide_ from his arm and set it on his coat. He cupped more water in his hands and splashed his face and neck. Just as Zag sipped a handful of water, Nero grabbed both of his shirts and pulled them up, off his skin, and over his head. The water caught in Zag’s throat at the sight of Nero’s rippling muscles. He choked a little, coughing to regain lost breath.

Nero glanced at him, smiling a little. “You good?”

“Yes, just…” He cleared his throat. “Just swallowed my water wrong…” Zag let his eyes wander over the parts of Nero’s body that he could see. Without even thinking about what he was doing, Zag reached to one of those scars and ran his fingers along the damaged skin. “You have so many scars…”

“Dangers of demon hunting,” Nero replied with a cocky half-grin. “You think those are bad, you should see Dante’s. He’s got a whole army’s worth of scars on him. Buy him a good bottle of Jack Daniels, and he’ll strip down and tell you about each and every one of them.”

Zag chuffed quietly and shook his head. “As… nice as your uncle seems, he isn’t my type.”

“Too old?”

“Too loud.”

Nero nodded. “Fair…”

The prince lifted his fingers to trace the scar on Nero’s shoulder, touching along the four claw marks that had transformed him, according to his story. The devil hunter shivered under his touch.

“I still haven’t seen it.”

“Seen what?”

“Your devil trigger.” 

He chuckled weakly. “Yeah, I uh… I’ve been holdin’ it back. Guess I’m kinda nervous about it. It’s not as big or impressive as Dante ‘n’ Vergil are.”

Zag bumped his shoulder to Nero’s. “Come on now. We’re supposed to be getting married. You have nothing to be ashamed of or nervous about. Even if we were just friends, I wouldn’t judge you, and I won’t judge you now. I hardly have the right…”

Nero sighed heavily and nodded. “Yeah… Okay…” He stood and offered a hand to Zag, who accepted his help without second thought. The devil hunter stepped back, away from the pool and his things, then let go of Zag’s hand to step back further. 

The change happened in a flash, and try as he might to keep his eyes open to _watch_ , Zag still missed it. In a blink, the young man was replaced with a demon. His presence didn’t strike fear in Zag the way Dante and Vergil’s had. Instead, Zag was _fascinated_ by the creature in front of him. Nero’s trigger was small compared to his family, but he still gained more inches in height on Zag. His gaze went over Nero from top to bottom. 

His hair had grown out for one. Nero’s hair had looked gray and silver when it was cut short, but now that he triggered, his hair was as white as the snows of the Surface. A gentle breeze ran through his hair like fingers, lifting it just enough for Zag to see just how long it was. A small smile grew on Zag’s lips. _Reminds me of Thanatos… I wonder if I can convince him to grow his hair out again…_

Circling Nero’s head was what Zag at first thought to be a laurel of golden feathers, but as he walked around Nero to get a better look, he realized that they connected to the back of his head under his hair somewhere. Zag lifted a hand to touch them, but before he could feel their texture, Nero flinched back.

“They’re sensitive,” Nero excused with a smile. Even his voice was transformed, as if there was a second voice coming from him at the same time. 

Zag stopped in front of him, tilting his head as he studied Nero’s eyes. They were blue before, but were now the color of fire. His pupils were slit, and around them, his iris was as yellow as the heart of a fire, fading to orange at the edges. Unlike Dante and Vergil, Nero’s demonic face was the same as his human, though his skin was replaced with teal and red scales. A pair of spikes sprouted from his chin. Zag stepped back to get a good look at the rest of him.

Blue light accentuated the hunter’s muscular chest and torso, and the red scales on his sides were thicker, like armor. Even Nero’s hands had changed, enhanced with long claws. Zag’s eyes went back up to Nero’s shoulders, where more blue light glowed between the ridges of more red scales. Nero looked like he had glowing, spectral blue wings, and Zag’s suspicion was confirmed when the blue light lifted like hands from his shoulders to stretch to their full length. He blushed at a sudden fantasy of behind held down and _touched_ by four hands instead of just two and cleared his throat.

He stepped closer once more, lifting his hands to touch Nero’s chest. The body beneath his palms was warm, and the scales weren’t slimy or sticky. They felt oddly smooth, as if Nero’s skin hadn’t changed at all. His hands slid up, along Nero’s neck to touch those chin-spikes with his thumbs. They weren’t sharp. His thumbs then touched Nero’s lips, which parted at the silent command. Zag shivered at the sight of Nero’s teeth. Each one was sharpened to a point, capable of tearing flesh from bone with little effort. _Or leaving bruises on demi-gods,_ Zag thought, nearly moaning as he imagined those teeth on his own skin and flesh. He bit his lower lip. _Only one way to know…_

Nero didn’t fight him as he pulled the hunter closer. Their lips touched in a soft kiss, and the foreign warmth and texture of Nero’s lips against his own sent an electric shiver down Zag’s spine. His fingers touched more scales of Nero’s neck and tangled in his hair as he held on, breaking that kiss for a moment before going in for another. He felt Nero’s arms circle his body, felt the whispers of claws against the skin of his shoulder and side. Zag moaned in the kiss as lips parted to touch tongue to tongue. Than’s kisses were sweet, like he had been sipping pomegranate wine before every kiss; Nero’s flavor was more savory, as if he’d been eating some of the Surface foods Zag found secreted away in urns in the Underworld. Pressed against the body of the demon, all Zag could think about was how much he wanted _more_ . _More_ kisses. _More_ touches of bare skin to skin. _More_ of that body against his own. _What does a demon’s cock even look like?_

The prince bit back a whine of disappointment as he felt the lips against his soften, as he felt the sharp teeth against his tongue lose their edge, as he felt the monster beneath his hands become a man again. The only thing that didn’t change was his hair, which remained long even after his transformation faded. And yet, he wasn’t _too_ terribly disappointed. Nero’s lips were still just as soft, just as plush, just as gentle as his demon’s. But now that he had hands instead of claws, his fingers dug deeper into Zag’s clothes and skin, clinging to him in a desperate need both of them had been resisting since they first met. 

Zag may not be completely in love with his betrothed, but _blood and darkness, am I in lust for him._ He pulled his lips from Nero’s to gasp for breath, his eyes slowly opening. The prince met Nero’s gaze, his teal blue eyes speckled with gold shimmered yellow for a moment, as if the hunter was fighting not only his own animalistic desires, but also the demon that lurked beneath his skin. Both were itching to escape, and Zag wondered briefly which would be victorious. 

His answer came in the form of a soft kiss on his cheek, along his jaw, and down his neck. Zag sighed softly, closing his eyes at the feeling of the lips and tongue against his skin. Than bit, harder than necessary sometimes; Nero, however, dug his teeth into the giving flesh but not to fully bite. His mouth gnawed and sucked on that sweet spot between neck and shoulder that made Zag’s legs jelly. Somewhere in the fog of pleasure, Zag asked himself, _How does everyone know about that spot?_ Nero’s hands slid over the demi-god’s body, stroking his skin as if it was a material that was pleasing to the touch. He felt a hand over his shoulder, and Zag shrugged, feeling cool air kiss his exposed skin as his toga and paldron fell away. 

Nero’s lips continued their journey, kissing and nipping at Zag’s shoulder, and then his collarbone, and then left a little trail of pink marks down his chest. The prince’s body arched into that mouth as warm lips kissed his nipple, and he let out a cry of delight as it was pinched between teeth. The cold stinging was soothed away by a warm tongue. Zag felt helpless in the hunter’s arms, given little opportunity to return the pleasure being given to him. Those warm hands continued to undress him, his belt clattering to the ground and taking the rest of his tunic with it. 

As Nero knelt, he continued to kiss his way downwards; down Zag’s tight pectoral muscles, down the hills and valleys of his abdomen, pausing to kiss just above his belly button, and further down to that space between belly button and waistband of his pants. Zag’s hands could go nowhere but Nero’s head, tangling in his hair to massage his scalp in encouragement. Every kiss sent ripples of electricity through him to his groin, and he felt ready to burst even before Nero could undo his pants and push them down, his hands sliding against Zag’s powerful hips and thighs. 

“ _Fuck_ ,” Zag hissed as he felt lips and tongue continue downwards. He licked his own, feeling his mouth getting dry and lonely as his lips hung open to let out heated breaths. As he felt those warm lips touching his cock at last, Zag fantasized briefly about not just Nero, but of Than. Of _both of them_ , touching him and tormenting him with ecstasy. A hand left Nero’s hair to touch himself, to run his own hot hand over his stomach and chest, imagining that it was Than’s. His head fell back, trying to remember the way Than bit at him. He shuddered as Nero swallowed him a little bit at a time, his hands on Zag’s hips to help steady him. The prince tried to tug at his hair, feeling weak and melted already. “Wait… Stop… I’m close… I’m going to…”

He pulled his mouth away, replacing it with a gentle hand that stroked Zag’s length. Nero grinned up at him. “Don’t like kissing after getting blown?”

“The taste is rather awful…”

The devil hunter chuckled lowly as he stood, Zag’s cock still in hand. Zag held his shoulders, keeping the other man close. Their foreheads touched for a moment, then Nero kissed his cheek softly. “Want me to keep bitin’ on you until you cum?”

Zag didn’t trust himself to speak as he leaned into his betrothed. He could only shakily nod, swallowing back moans that burbled in his throat. His legs felt as if they were going to buckle at any moment, that he was so close to falling that he clung to Nero. 

Nero’s lips returned to his neck, to kiss that sweet spot where neck met shoulder tenderly before opening his mouth to gnaw on his soft flesh again. A part of Zag wanted to ask him, to _beg_ him to trigger again, just to feel those teeth against his muscles, but he never got the chance to voice his request. The pressure of that mouth against his nerves, the sucking of his mouth against Zag’s skin, and that expert hand on his cock all swept Zag into an orgasm that made him try to stand on tip-toes as every muscle tensed. Nero’s strong arm around his waist kept Zag standing, even as he spurt and dribbled onto the green Elysian grass. His lips moved from Zag’s neck to his lips to kiss him softly between gasps. His tongue followed a trail of sweat up Zag’s throat to his jaw, and when Zag was finally aware enough to meet Nero’s gaze, his fiancee was grinning. 

“You good?” Nero asked.

The prince blushed and looked away shyly. “Yes… and no.” He met Nero’s gaze once more. “What about you? You’ve serviced me well enough… Don’t you want the same?”

His companion rubbed his nose with his arm to try to hide his expression. Smelling and feeling sticky stuff on his hand, he wiped it on the side of his pants. “Well um… truth be told, I…” Nero chuffed and shook his head. His sincere smile warmed Zag from the inside out. “I’ve… I haven’t done it with a guy before… Yeah, I’ve fooled around, and me ‘n’ Kyrie, we…” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Last guy I was into was a top. Figured I’d be the one takin’ it when it came to him, you know? Never thought that I’d be the one toppin’...” 

He grinned a little, running a knuckle along Nero’s strong jaw. Stubble like sandpaper met Zag’s rough touch, but it wasn’t as thick or visible as Dante’s was in comparison. Nero was still young and had young men’s facial hair. His thumb ran over Nero’s lips.

“A private lesson, then?” Zag asked with a grin. “You’ll need to know how to lay with me good and proper if we’re going to be married after all.”

Nero grinned back sheepishly. “I thought people stopped fuckin’ after they got married.”

“You must not know me very well if you think I’d stop having sex with you.”

“After we’re married, or…?”

“Ever.”

Nero coughed, his face as red as Dante’s coat with embarrassment. He tried a cocky grin, but it came off as lopsided and charming instead. “Think I uh… Think I better cool off before we go on. Don’t want to um… _unload_ mid-lesson…” 

“You do that. And undress as well.”

“Yes, my prince,” Nero replied with a mock-bow as he let go of Zag.

“ _Ugh!_ ” Zag exclaimed, though he was grinning. He untangled his pants from his knees, having to sit on the grass to get his greaves off. “You sound just like Asterius when he’s trying to calm Theseus down. ‘Yes, king,’ or ‘no, king,’ and ‘whatever you say, king.’ Awful.” He dug through his clothes for the bottle of nectar he always carried. Just in case. “I’d rather you just…”

Zag stopped mid-sentence, struck by the sight of Nero naked. During the prince’s brief rant, Nero had removed his heavy boots, underwear, and pants, and stretched an arm across his chest, and then the other. He wasn’t _completely_ naked though. He was still wearing his rings and a necklace that sparkled in the light of the glowing flora. Nero half-grinned as he sat down in the grass beside Zag, so close that he could feel the devil hunter’s warmth radiating the air between them. 

Curious, Zag reached for the necklace and brought it closer to his face to inspect. Nero leaned nearer, close enough that Zag could smell his skin and cologne and the black powder from his gun and the fuel from his engine-powered sword. The smell of him was intoxicating, but Zag’s attention wasn’t on that. 

“Does it mean something?” Zag asked at last. 

Nero smiled and shook his head. “Nah. Just looked cool. It um… It reminded me of this guy I liked a long time ago…” 

“Your top?” 

He chuckled a little. “Yeah. Even though I grew up alongside him, I still… found myself _wishing_ I could be with him. Wishing that I could _finally_ be worthy of being noticed by him. But I never got the chance to tell him how I felt, before he…” 

“You mentioned Kyrie’s brother, Credo… Is he the one?”

“Yeah… He was… something else…” Nero tilted his head at him. “What about you? You got um… you got someone else you like? You said somethin’ about being infatuated with Than…”

Zag smiled shyly and nodded. “Thanatos… Yes, he and I are very similar to you and your Credo. We were raised together, as brothers. When it came to light that we weren’t blood brothers, I felt more comfortable being open with my feelings for him. He must have been waiting for that confirmation as well, because it felt like it took little convincing to enter into a romantic relationship.”

“Maybe before the wedding, I can sit with him ‘n’ talk some…” He bit his bottom lip in thought. “How are you… feeling about the whole thing? Us, I mean?”

The prince grinned and cupped Nero’s face in his hand. Zag pulled him into a slow, lingering kiss. Their lips were still touching when he whispered to Nero, “You could say I’m warming up to it…”

“Yeah? Anything I can do to help you decide?”

“You could always give me a good fucking.”

Nero’s grin matched Zag’s as his arms circled the prince’s waist, pulling him onto the hunter’s lap. They kissed again, hands sliding over skin and feeling muscles beneath. Zag set aside the bottle of nectar to free his hand, memorizing every inch of Nero that met his palms. He felt Nero’s cock against his own, throbbing and hardening in interest as they kissed and touched one another. 

The devil hunter was breathless by the time Zag pulled his lips away. “So what do we do next?” Nero asked between gasps, his eyes flicking over Zag’s face, neck, and chest. 

“Next, I have to get ready.” His hands slid over Nero’s chest, pushing him back to lay down while Zag sat up. He grabbed the bottle of nectar and popped it open, setting aside the cork to reuse later. The golden liquid wet his fingers, and as he reached behind himself, his chest arched into Nero, who wasn’t the sort of man to let an opportunity pass him by. The prince closed his eyes and leaned his head back as his betrothed sat up to kiss and nip at the skin of his chest. Both hands cupped and groped Zag’s pecks, kneading them as if they were the breasts of a woman. Zag, however, had no complaints, the mouth on his chest an added bonus to the fingers in his ass. 

He felt the bottle of nectar move from beside his knee as Nero took it to inspect. “What is this stuff?”

Zag chuffed at him. “Take a sip.”

Nero squinted at him.

“It’s nectar. Not as potent as ambrosia, but still intoxicating and addicting.”

“Nectar of the gods, huh?” Nero brought the bottle to his lips and took a small sip. The prince purred, seeing the exact moment in Nero’s eyes that the effect of the nectar hit him. His pupils dilated a little, and his cock twitched. “ _Shit_ …” A mischievous smirk curled his lips, and before Zag could stop him, he took another swig and set the bottle aside.

The devil hunter’s hand cupped the back of Zag’s head gently before suddenly grabbing him by the hair to yank him into a passionate kiss. He barely had a chance to gasp or protest. His mouth was too busy with the nectar-coated tongue that swirled against his own, filling his mouth with the stuff. Zag swallowed and felt his whole body feel lighter, as if his soul was trying to peel from his body. That lightness came with a warmth that felt as if they were in the fires of Asphodel again. _Or is that Nero’s hands?_ Zag asked himself, feeling the touch of skin on skin somewhere in the fog of his mind. 

He pulled his fingers from himself and poured the nectar into his sticky hand. His clean one pushed Nero away enough to reach between them, coating Nero’s cock in the nectar. Nero moaned and shuddered, his hips bucking under Zag’s weight. 

Zag quirked an eyebrow at him. “Ready?”

Nero wet his lips with his tongue and nodded. “Yeah…” The word came out in a heated breath. “Yeah, I’m ready…”

A smile touched Zag’s lips, and he leaned close enough to kiss Nero’s softly, slowly. Tongue met tongue, but not in sloppy need. The touch was shy, hesitant. Nervous. _Don’t worry, my hunter,_ Zag thought with a purr as he kissed a little harder. _I may have issues with my family, but my lovers…_ His hips slid over Nero’s wet cock, feeling it between the cheeks of his ass. _I will treat you well..._ He pulled his lips and tongue free, smirking at the helpless, _hungry_ look on Nero’s face. Zag sat up on his knees and reached back, guiding Nero into his tight heat. 

It took everything in Zag’s will and power to keep from letting his body slam down on that cock. Between the pure _bliss_ of being filled and the touch of Aphrodite in the nectar, Zag felt like he was drowning in pleasure. Nero wasn’t as wide as Than; the cock filled him easily. But Nero was certainly _longer_ . As he counted inches on his way down, Zag was interrupted by that sweet spot being touched. But he still felt there was _more_ to Nero, and by the time he had Nero sheathed to the hilt, Zag saw stars even with his eyes open. Just moving his hips slightly sent waves of shivers and electricity and warmth through his body. He had done this with Than, had sex in this same position on the settee in his room, but doing it with Nero, out in the open air of Elysium, added a new level of _thrill_ to their intimacy. He tried _not_ to think of the countless Shades that could see them and shivered.

He felt rough yet gentle hands on his thighs, reaching around to cup his ass to support him. Nero sat up shakily, and the movement made his cock bump that spot. Zag moaned and shuddered, leaning forward to meet him. The devil hunter was grinning as their sweaty foreheads touched. 

“You good?” Nero asked.

Unable to gasp, unable to even think of words, Zag could only nod. 

Nero smiled and kissed him one last time before laying back on the grass. His hands slid from Zag’s ass to his chest, pushing the prince to sit up completely. The movement made Nero go in deeper. Instead of just bumping and pressing on that spot, Nero’s cock felt like it was rubbing against it. He felt Nero’s hands on his body, grasping his hips. His strong hold guided Zag up, and the prince whined as he felt that cock start to leave him. 

And then Nero’s hips bounced up and Zag cried out in joy. 

The devil hunter took control, being a fast enough learner that he didn’t need further instruction. The pace started slow, Zag’s hips moving to meet Nero’s, but it didn’t take long for the _hunger_ for pleasure to rip them both of patience. Zag’s hands went to Nero’s, threading their fingers together. He felt himself shaking against the hunter’s steady grip. Bracing himself on Nero, Zag quickened the pace. The delicious friction of the cock thrusting into him, the waves upon waves of pleasure coursing through his veins with every hump against that spot, the smell of their sweat and the nectar mingling; Zag drowned in every sensation. Even the cool breeze against his sensitive skin made Zag moan for more. 

His bounces stopped suddenly as Nero’s cock hit him just right enough to burst that balloon of pleasure that had been swelling in his loins. Zag’s head fell back, and he couldn’t tell if he was moaning, crying, or singing, or all three at once as he felt air leave his lungs. All he knew was that he felt so _good_ , the pleasure and bliss erasing every pain from his mind if only for a few moments. He felt warm and tingling all over, and he felt his body relax as every muscle unclenched and eased. He felt Nero’s cock throbbing and twitching inside him, filling him. 

Hands pulled him down to lay against Nero’s chest, and hands slid over his back, stroking his skin as strong arms surrounded him. He lifted and fell with Nero’s chest as the demon hunter gasped for breath. For a moment, Zag thought that even their heartbeats were in sync with one another. 

Lips touched the side of his head and his hair. “You good?” Nero asked quietly.

Zag shakily nodded, his eyes closed in bliss. 

He chuckled lowly, the sound vibrating Nero’s chest like a purr. Nero kissed his forehead, and then his closed eyelids. “Take as much time as you need… I’m not in any hurry.”

The prince nodded again. His mind floated in the rivers of sensation and pleasure, leaving him unable to do anything more than just enjoy the moment and the presence of the man he was fated to marry. Zag’s heart fluttered at the thought. 

_Perhaps this won’t be so bad after all..._


	37. Chapter 37

As much as they _needed_ to speak with their father, Dante dragged his feet for as long as he possibly could. He delayed them with a shower, and then a shave. He tried to hide Vergil’s gloves. He even “lost” his boot at one point, but try as he might, Dante couldn’t delay the inevitable. They chose to use their own door and stepped into the hallway, locking it behind them. He faced the door, key in hand, wishing harder than he’d ever wished before that he was wrong, that Sparda wouldn’t be there. 

He flinched as he felt Vergil’s hand grasp his. Dante swallowed hard. “I don’t know if I’m ready, Verge… I’ve been pissed at this guy all my life for leavin’ us… for leavin’ Mom like that… I don’t know how I’ll react when I see him. I’ve held on to this fantasy that I’d be able to forgive him, that I’d fall cryin’ into his arms the way we did with Mom, but now… now that I _know_ he’ll be there… I feel…”

“Empty,” Vergil offered.

Dante nodded. “Yeah… Empty… numb even. I _want_ to be pissed. I _want_ to be excited. But I feel… like I’ve got a cold comin’ on. My whole body feels heavy ‘n’ sick.” 

Vergil gave his brother’s hand a gentle squeeze. “We don’t have to go, Dante. There are other options, though at the moment I’m not certain what they are.”

The younger shook his head. “No… No, we have to do this. We got the closure of seein’ Mom again. We can reconnect with her. Make up for all those lost years. Sparda…” Dante sighed. “We should at least _try_ , and make an effort to do the same for Dad. Besides… he wasn’t a _bad_ father… Most of the memories I have of him are good. He wasn’t abusive or toxic. We just…”

“We just wish he was,” his twin finished for him. “It would make being angry easier.”

“Yeah…”

His elder tugged on his arm, and Dante faced him. Vergil cupped his face in a hand, and together they bowed their heads to touch forehead to forehead. Not for the first or last time, as their skin touched, Dante wished that they could share thoughts for when words failed them. 

“We’ve grown stronger, Dante,” Vergil whispered softly. “Whether or not we’re stronger than Sparda himself remains yet to be seen… but we have grown stronger than he or we could have ever imagined. Both of us have unlocked our ultimate triggers. Both of us wield devil arms of incredible power. Both of us have travelled through Hell and back. All he could do was leave once, seal the worlds, and be dragged to Hell again.”

Dante chuffed. “That’s… not really helpin’ much, Verge…”

He huffed in annoyance. “What I’m trying to get through your thick skull is that we can do this. We can face Sparda. We have faced more powerful enemies. He is our father. Our blood. Our heritage. And should he choose to be someone we have no desire to see again, we have the power and the strength to cut him out of our lives once more.”

“Yeah…” Dante sighed. He took a deep breath and exhaled it slowly. At last, he felt strong enough to smile and nod. “Okay… Let’s do this. You ready?”

“As ready as I could ever be, Dante.”

The fiery twin faced the door ahead of him. Dante did another breath of strength, even thinking a quick prayer to Athena. _Goddess of strategic war, don’t let me lose my head_. Nodding to himself, Dante felt ready. At some point in their leisure time, he found a silver chain in the amenities of their room, and used that to hang the ruby key around his neck. The chain dangled from the key’s bow, swinging in the air like an empty pendulum as Dante inserted the key into the lock. Logic stated that if he turned the key, it wouldn’t unlock; this key wasn’t _meant_ for this door. But as he turned the key, he felt the lock click. He glanced at Vergil, who had an eyebrow raised in interest and surprise. Vergil nodded for him to continue. Hand on the door, Dante pushed it open.

Instead of their room, the door led to the yard of the house. 

“Damn,” Dante mumbled, putting the necklace back on and stepping through. “That was…”

“Too easy,” Vergil supplied, following his brother. He closed the door and watched as the back of the door became the front gate of the house. His words were for Dante, though his eyes were on that gate. “Fascinating…” 

“C’mon.” Dante grabbed his brother’s hand and led him around to the side. He stopped short when he didn’t see Eva at work. They exchanged a look and returned to the front of the house and the front door. Dante rubbed the back of his neck. 

“Should we knock?”

“We _are_ home…”

Dante shook his head. “But not really. This isn’t _our_ house. This isn’t _our_ home. It’s… it’s the _shade_ of our home.”

“The spirit of the house?”

“I guess, yeah, if that’s how you want to look at it.” 

Vergil silently observed the house beside him, as if seeing it for the first time. He ran a hand along the surface of the door and nodded. “The resin is new.”

“Well, yeah. Remember? Mom had it redone before the um…”

His elder nodded. “I remember now… Then yes… I… reluctantly agree that this isn’t our true home. That place is on the Surface… buried in rubble and bramble.”

Dante nudged his brother’s arm with his elbow. “Think it’s for sale?”

“Ex _cuse_ me?!”

“The plot of land where our house used to be. You think it’s for sale?”

“Why on Earth would I wonder that?”

“So we can buy it.”

Vergil blinked at him. “ _Buy_ it?”

“Yeah. Buy the old place and renovate it.”

His brother stared at him in shocked silence, and Dante’s face fell with worry. He kicked a pebble with his boot.

“Shit, Verge… Say _somethin’_ , please? Like if I said somethin’ that fucked up…”

“No, it’s… It’s not that.”

Dante lifted his eyes to meet Vergil’s. There was a silver shine to his elder’s steel-blue eyes, and a smile, a true smile, grew on Vergil’s lips. 

“That’s probably the most sentimental thing you’ve said to me yet. And that includes the story of your shop’s name.” Vergil sighed, running a hand over the door. “Yes… Once we return to the surface, I can talk a closer look at your accounting books and see if we can manage some funding to buy and rebuild our childhood home.” He tilted his head at his brother. “If only so that my son will have a dowry to provide for. I regret that I had little to give to Kyrie and Zagreus in exchange for Nero’s hand.”

“Verge, this isn’t medieval Europe, and he’s not the Prince of France.” Dante lifted a fist to the door and pounded three times. “Speaking of, I’m still a little miffed about that.”

“Arranging for my son’s marriage?”

“Cuttin’ a deal with Hades without talkin’ to me about it first. I’ve done enough business and read enough contracts to know about the loopholes to look for.”

“There are no loopholes to worry about,” Vergil sighed, exasperated by the conversation. 

“That you know of,” Dante managed to quip before the door opened. 

Eva squeaked in delight at the sight of her sons and opened the door further for them. “Come in, come in! You don’t have to knock, you know. Give me just a moment, and I’ll have some tea made for you.”

“Mom.” Dante’s voice was firm, snapping her out of her thoughts and stopping her from getting far. He smiled, a silent apology for his tone. “We’re actually um… we’re here to talk to Sparda about something. Is uh… Is Dad around?”

Her own smile fell away at those words. She glanced to Vergil for confirmation, her eldest nodding silently. Eva, suddenly conscious of herself, smoothed the wrinkles from the front of her gown and adjusted her shawl on her shoulders.

“Yes, your father is _here_ ,” she admitted at last. Eva twisted the ring on her finger, an anxious fidget that Dante had seen her grandson do on occasion. “But are you certain you wish to speak with him? It has… I must confess that it took time for me to… to make peace with what happened…” She sighed in a huff, deciding that bluntness was better than subtlety. “I’ll have no violence in this household.”

“We aren’t here to fight him, Mother,” Vergil purred. “Merely to ask of his experiences in the past regarding his… interdimensional travel.”

“Planeswalking,” Eva stated. She smiled proudly as she crossed her arms over her chest. “You forget that I _am_ a witch. You’re here to ask your father how to quickly return to Earth and back to Hell.”

Both of her sons had the good decency to look abashed by her knowing statement. Eva didn’t ask questions. She _knew_ , and it was her talent for _knowing_ that Dante forgot she had; he forgot how many times her _knowing_ had put him in trouble. 

She chuffed in amusement at them, nodding to herself. “Very well then. He’s in his study.” Eva tilted her head at them. “I trust you remember the way.”

“Yeah. Thanks.” Dante kissed her cheek before dashing to the stairs. Vergil paused to do the same before sprinting to catch up to him.

“And no running!” 

The Sons of Sparda slowed their pace to a purposeful power-walk.

They ascended the stairs one step at a time, not wanting to risk their mother’s wrath by skipping steps, and turned the corner. Every room was right where Dante remembered. A part of him was tempted to stop and go back, to go to his room down the hall, but _Not this time,_ he told himself. _Maybe next visit, Verge and I can get lost in memories. Now… Now we have another memory to face…_

There was a language to the house, unspoken yet understood. Open doors were invitations for visitors, were quiet acceptance of entry. If a door was closed, however, the occupant wished to be undisturbed and the contents left untouched. There was rarely a door closed in the household, but the small family still respected those closed doors when they did appear. However, in all the household, there was one room Dante hesitated to enter, even if the door was open. 

Something about Sparda’s study intimidated Dante. Even as he stepped closer to that door, seeing from feet away that it was open, his heart raced with nervousness and anxiousness. As a boy, Dante entered the study for only two reasons; to be Eva’s messenger so she didn’t have to shout across the manor, or because he was in trouble for something big. He felt like he was in trouble again, having fought with Vergil again so badly that something in the house was damaged or broken, or he had fought at school again. 

He flinched as a hand touched his shoulder, relaxing only when he realized it was just Vergil beside him. The younger could feel the nervousness radiating from his twin. Vergil had always tried to be the favored son, but that didn’t make him less vulnerable to the intimidation of entering Father’s study.

Dante swallowed hard and took a steadying breath. _We’re not in trouble,_ he told himself, told his inner child still hiding in the closet of his mind. _Vergil’s right. We’re grown up now. We can face him as equals. And if we can’t… we can just leave…_

Those last steps felt as if they stretched for miles as Dante finally pushed past his fear and nervousness to enter the study. 

It was exactly as he remembered it, but _smaller_ . _We were eight,_ he had to remind himself. But every book was in its place, every shelf was untouched by time and dust, and even the vase of flowers was by the window, blooming for sunlight that would never shine again. 

And sitting in his chair by the fireplace was Sparda.

Just like Eva had been unchanged from his memory, Sparda also looked exactly how Dante remembered him. The ancient demon’s steady gaze was on his sons as they stepped closer, Sparda’s movements slow as he set aside the book he had been reading moments before their entry. He wasn’t wearing his royal purple coat, but like Eva, he was still smartly dressed in his blouse, vest, and trousers, as if at any moment they were expecting prestigious guests. The only thing missing from him was the ruby red amulet, shattered years ago by Dante himself. 

Sparda smiled and stood from his seat, opening his arms. “My so-!”

He was cut off mid-word by Dante, who closed the distance between them in a flash-step, punching Sparda hard enough that the ancient demon tumbled backwards, into his chair which in turn fell back, spilling Sparda with his legs over his head until he landed on his stomach on the floor. Dante shook the pain from his hand and stepped out of Vergil’s way. The eldest twin assisted their father to his feet, and Sparda dusted off his vest. Despite all the strength that went into the strike, not a hair was out of place. 

_Doesn’t even have the good decency to let his nose bleed,_ Dante thought. 

“I’m surprised at you, Dante,” Sparda mused as he finished tidying himself up. His hands clasped behind him, his shoulders back in that stance that Dante had once found intimidating when he was a child. Now, Dante realized it was an open posture. An invitation. “Only _one_ strike against me? You were always the more emotional of the two of you. I had expected our reunion to be more violent than one punch.”

“Don’t tempt me,” he grumbled. “Only reason I’m not kicking your ass is because Mom told me not to. Otherwise? Your face would be smeared on the walls.”

Sparda tilted his head at Dante in a small bow. “Fair enough.” His eyes turned to Vergil. “And you? Will you strike me as well?”

Vergil shook his head, standing _Yamato_ in front of him with his hands resting on the pommel. Relaxed, but capable of attacking if provoked. He radiated the regal energy of a king on one side of the chessboard, with Sparda at the other. “I will sort through my emotions and determine how I feel for you, _what_ I feel later. For now, you are not my father. You are nothing more than another demon lord in a court of hundreds. The most powerful, perhaps, and it is because of your power that we come to you.”

“A very diplomatic answer.” Sparda looked between them. “So you come to me, not as my long lost sons, but as fellow demon lords seeking an alliance. And why should I give aid to contestants for the throne?”

“Because we don’t give two shits about the throne,” Dante replied before his brother. “What we care about is Mom, and spendin’ more time with her to make up for all the years we lost, no thanks to you. We care about Nero, and seeing new friends we’ve made here.”

“Perhaps I should rephrase… Why should I give aid to those who despise me, even if I should do this good deed for them?”

“Mother said that she needed time to make peace with the past,” answered Vergil. “Perhaps given the time and opportunity to see _you_ more often, we too could make peace with what happened. With the lives lost since that pivotal moment.”

Sparda nodded slowly. “I see…” A small smile grew on his face. “Then, for the moment, we are as you ask. Demon lords of equal footing. Not fathers and sons, but warriors and ambassadors. So then… as a fellow demon lord, what aid do you seek?”

 _As if it wasn’t obvious…_ Dante narrowed his eyes at his father, unwilling to voice his concern. He swallowed back his question on if Sparda was legitimate or an illusion and came out with the real reason for their visit. 

“We want to make a permanent bridge between worlds.”

“Certainly not!” Sparda exclaimed, all pretense of gentility cast aside in one breath. “I did not sacrifice my power to creating the seal merely on a whim! Every time a demon entered the human world, death and chaos followed. As much as I preached that it was possible, man and demon simply cannot exist alongside one another.”

“It wouldn’t be something that all humans or demons would have access to,” Vergil argued. “We are asking for a link between two specific places in either realm, accessible to only specific travelers.”

Sparda shook his head. “That is _not_ how it works, Vergil, and I am ashamed that I didn’t teach you well enough for you to understand that.” 

“But what if -”

“No, Dante! There are no ‘what if’s. Keys can be stolen. Pathways can be torn open. Blood and darkness, listen to the both of you… Even the seal I created was manipulated. Forged and copied, like any other key to any other lock.” 

Vergil’s lips opened to speak, but Sparda cut him off with a gesture.

“No more. My decision is final. I will give you no assistance, no aid in this foolishness.”

Dante felt as if his father had slapped him across the face. Beside him, Vergil stood a little straighter, clenched his jaw a little tighter. While Dante struggled to put together words that weren’t immediately followed by “fuck you,” it was the elder of the twins that broke the uneasy silence. 

“Very well then,” Vergil ended with a nod. “Thank you for your time, Lord Sparda. Perhaps our next call will be more sociable. In the meantime, take care of our mother.” 

“You’re leaving so soon?” Sparda asked, pain in his voice.

Vergil didn’t answer him, grabbing _Yamato_ in one hand and the scruff of Dante’s coat in the other on his way out. Dante needed little pulling and followed his brother willingly. They paused only long enough to say good-bye to Eva, promising her they’d return later.

It wasn’t until they were well out of the house and into the darkness between realms that Dante felt safe to ask, “What do we do now?”

“We do what any other Karen told ‘no’ does,” Vergil answered in an annoyed growl. “He’s right… We should have known better than to ask him for help that we knew he wouldn’t provide. We should have known he would refuse…”

“Verge?”

“We’re going to speak with Hecate.”


	38. Chapter 38

“For an endless field of paradise,” Nero grumbled, “there sure are a lot of _rooms_.” 

Zag chuffed beside him, heading for the next door. “Another way of keeping the dead in their place,” the prince explained. “The labyrinth changes every time I enter it. I never know what is beyond the next door, though I’ve been getting better at guessing.”

The devil hunter grinned. He didn’t doubt his companion’s words. With the way Zag fought, as if there was more at stake than just the prince’s life, Nero believed him. His betrothed had fought these battles before, and Nero didn’t have a doubt in his mind that even if they were married, even if they found some express elevator back up to the surface, Zag would continue to fight those battles.

If only to feel alive.

As they entered into the next chamber, an ominous _presence_ filled the room. A church bell rang so loudly that Nero felt the vibrations in his heart long after it passed, though he couldn't see the source. He unholstered _Blue Rose_ in a quick flick, but Zag beside him relaxed his stance. 

In a burst of green-blue light, a man appeared. _A very handsome man_ , Nero thought with a blush, lowering his gun to look over the stranger cloaked in black. _What is with everyone being hot in the Underworld? Shit, even Death is hot here._

“Than!” Zag exclaimed, perking up as if he’d just seen a three-headed kitten. The prince rubbed the back of his neck, his face as red as his clothes all the way down to his shoulders. “Nero, this is um… This is Thanatos.”

“So you’re the one I’ve been hearin’ so much about.” Nero offered his hand with a smile. “He won’t stop gushing about you whenever he gets a chance.”

Than chuffed, accepting the hand to shake. “I would have introduced myself sooner, but I had… concerns.”

“Worried he’d be jealous?” Zag asked, a teasing smile on his face. 

“On the contrary,” purred Death Incarnate. “I was concerned that _I_ would be so overcome with jealousy that it would make any interaction we had unpleasant.”

Nero’s smile fell as he shook his head. “I’m… Shit, I feel bad about all this. Maybe between the three of us, we can figure somethin’ out.”

“Something?” Than asked, eyebrow quirked in interest.

Zag shifted his weight uncomfortably. “What are you saying, Nero? Getting cold feet?”

“N-no, it’s not that!” Nero stumbled out. “It’s…” He sighed. “Don’t really know how to put it. It’s like we talked about before. This whole business wasn’t _our_ idea. Our dumbass dads are putting us up to this.” His gaze turned to Than. “I guess what I’m trying to get out is… if you two want to still be um… still be sweet on each other, I’m not gonna stop you. You two have known each other way longer. I don’t want whatever you two have to be ruined because of this arranged marriage thing.”

“Opening your marriage before it’s even begun?” The corner of Than’s lips curled in a teasing smile that made Zag’s embarrassed body language more evident. His gold eyes returned to Nero, looking him over. The devil hunter could imagine what the other man was thinking, and he felt his own body tingle with embarrassed warmth. “I can’t decide if I should be honored or disappointed.”

His words caused a ripple of arousal to trickle through Nero. “Disappointed? In what? I’m givin’ him permission to cheat on me.”

“Mm, I had hoped to see our prince reduced to a quivering, pleasured puddle between us.”

“You sure you’re talkin’ about Zag? Because I can see you as a moanin’ mess beneath -”

“Okay, okay!” Zag exclaimed, getting between them. He pushed them apart with a hand on each chest. “That’s enough, you two. We still have quite the journey between here and the Surface, and I don’t have the patience to referee a dick-measuring contest between you.”

“You wouldn’t be the referee,” Nero teased with a grin. “You’d be the judge.”

“ _Not_ helping…”

“Perhaps a different contest then,” Than suggested with a tilt of his head. 

“Contest for _what_?”

“For you, of course.”

Zag blinked, mouth hanging open in mute surprise.

“And to see which of us is _top_ top,” added Nero. Than nodded in solemn agreement. The devil hunter crossed his arms over his chest, squinting at Than. “Alright, I’m listenin’.”

Than’s smile grew wicked, as if he were moments from pinning Nero to the nearest flat, vertical surface. “Normally this contest is between myself and Zagreus, but considering the circumstances… A horde of shades will soon appear, eager for a challenge of their own. If I should win by dismissing more of them than you in a short amount of time, you must give up Zagreus.” Than tilted his head a little. “Or, at the very least, admit that you are… _beneath_ me when the time comes.”

Zag huffed and shook his head, looking between them. “Than, please… This wasn’t our decision. Our fathers arranged it. Nero can’t simply take it back! And besides, don’t I get any say in this ridiculous -”

Death Incarnate touched a golden claw to his boyfriend’s lips. “Hush, my darling. The tops are talking.”

A grin grew on Nero’s face, hidden for a moment behind his arm as he brushed his nose. “How ‘bout we raise the stakes? If I win, I get to kiss him while you watch helplessly.”

“And what if _I_ win?” Zag grumbled. 

“Then you shall win the customary prize that I always bring you,” Than replied. “Unless there’s something else you wish of me?”

“You could make us do something dumb, like fight with one hand tied behind our back or hopping on one leg,” Nero offered. Zag chuffed, shaking his head, but the small smile was all Nero wanted. He offered his hand to Than. “Alright, I accept your challenge.”

“Very well then.” 

Than clasped Nero’s arm briefly in a firm grasp, then let go in favor of his scythe. Nero reached behind himself to rev up _Red Queen_ , and beside him Zag rolled his neck and shoulders, readying the Stygian blade in his hand. The three of them had their backs to one another for a brief moment. 

And then the horde appeared. 

As the three of them leapt into battle, Nero could feel his excitement pumping like adrenaline and lightning through his veins. The shades of Elysium were a challenge, but now he had something on the line. _Do I though?_ He thought as he cleaved a shade in half, then spun and shot another until it fizzled away. _Zag’s right. I can’t just take back this stupid arrangement. And even if I could… would I want to?_ He sliced through another shade and took a moment to look back at the other two combatants. 

Zag and Than weren’t fighting; they were dancing together. There wasn’t a competition between them, no contest to be won. They fought alongside one another the way Dante and Vergil did, as if there was a music playing that only they could hear as they dealt death together. As Than swung his scythe in a wide arch, Zag would duck beneath it and cast his bloodstones onto another shade before dashing after it to inflict further damage. Every move was so fluid, so connected to one another that Nero was entranced by them. His heart sank to his stomach and further. 

_They’re perfect for each other,_ Nero thought with a sad smile. He turned his attention from them and back to the battle. His heart, however, wasn’t in the fight. 

Nero lost track of the time somewhere in the blur of the battle, and before he could ask how much longer the shades would continue coming, it was over as suddenly as it began. The last shade fell to his sword, and he swept _Blue Rose_ across his field of view in search of another target. Finding none, Nero lowered his gun and glanced to the other two. 

“That it?” Nero asked, holstering his weapon.

“It appears to be so,” Than replied with a nod. He gave Nero a small smile. “For the time being at least. You will face more as you continue onwards.”

“ _Tch_ … Was anyone keepin’ count? Because I wasn’t.”

“Nor I, unfortunately.”

They both looked to Zag.

“I only got eleven,” Zag grumbled, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“That’s nice darling, but not the question we’re asking of you.”

The prince rolled his eyes, blushing. “Fine, fine…” He sighed. “Than also had eleven, and Nero killed eighteen.” 

For a brief moment, Nero thought he saw sadness in Than’s eyes. Death Incarnate kept his emotions well-masked, _A lot like Vergil does,_ Nero thought. But that didn’t stop that moment, that heartbeat where the devil hunter could see the ache, the _despair_ deep in the god’s golden core. The moment passed quickly, and a smirk replaced Than’s stoic mask.

“Very well then.” Than gestured to the prince between them. “A wager is a wager, and I will honor my end of the bargain. Zagreus is yours.”

“Than…” Zag whined softly. “You… you really can’t mean that you’re giving up on me…”

“On the contrary, Zagreus…” There it was again, that small sparkle of sadness cracking through the smile like sunlight through a cloud. “I will never give up on you. I will always hold out hope that the Fates are kind, and that we will somehow find happiness together.”

Nero rolled his eyes. “Fuck’s sake…” He grabbed Zag to kiss his cheek, then shoved the prince physically into Than. Both godlings stumbled, equally surprised to find themselves so close to one another without warning. The devil hunter grinned at them. “Kiss and make up already, will you? World’s not endin’ yet. I don’t know about you two, but I’m not goin’ to sit still and let Hades ‘n’ Vergil push us around like pawns. We’ve got time to figure somethin’ out.” His grin softened into a smile. “Together.” The hunter turned his back to them, heading for the exit to give the pair a private moment.

He didn’t hear the kiss behind him; the gesture too delicate and sweet to be audible. But he could hear their whispered words.

“Do you truly mean it, Than? You won’t give up on me?”

“I do, Zagreus. While you would fight your way through the Underworld just to see Persephone, I would do anything to see you, to have you in my arms, to kiss you again.” There was a moment of quiet, and Nero could only assume they were doing just that. He felt his ears burning at the thought. “And of course… your prize for our customary wager.”

“Thank you… See you back home. I won’t be long.”

“I know… Nero!” 

The devil hunter stood up straight, facing them at the sound of his name. 

Than was smirking once more, his golden eyes dancing with barely-restrained mischievousness. “I intend to keep my end of the bargain as well. Should the time come, I hope that you can prove your word and provide satisfaction to both Zagreus and I.”

Nero stumbled for an answer, and thankfully, Thanatos didn’t wait for one, poofing away in a flash of blue-green light. _Now if only I could do the same,_ Nero thought with a blush as Zag joined him at the exit for the next room.


	39. Chapter 39

Vergil was silent as they travelled the darkness of the in-between. He held his brother’s hand tight, not just afraid of losing him now. _If I let go of Dante, my humanity will follow,_ he thought with a scowl. _Meeting Father… Had it not been for Mother’s request, I would have done more than just watch as Dante struck him. I would have torn him apart for abandoning us, for abandoning_ **_her_** _. I would have tortured him as Mundus tortured me, and I would have fallen into madness again for it. For the sake of peace, I lied to his face about sorting out my emotions. I had decided long ago that I loathe him, and yet… It is as Sparda said. I should have known better. As adamant as Dante was that Sparda would magically solve our problems, I should have known better. Deep down, I should have known Sparda would be of no use to us now._ He chuffed. _As useless to us now as he was when we were children. Only more so than before. When we were children, we needed him. Now we have each other and need little else._

The elder twin sighed heavily. “I’m at least grateful for one thing,” he mumbled, more to himself than to his sibling.

Dante, however, was of better hearing than he expected. “And what’s that?”

He gave his brother’s hand a gentle squeeze. “That it’s over with. All the torment, all the anxiety, all the anticipation of seeing Father for the first time in years… Since the incident… It’s over. And with any grace of the Fates, we’ll never have to see him again.”

“You know that ain’t true, Verge.” 

He stopped to face his brother in the darkness. Dante was grinning in the dim, silver light of the gargantuan moon that rose above them, illuminating Hecate’s realm.

“Dad’s gonna come to Nero’s wedding.”

“The Hell he ain’t,” Vergil cursed as he continued onwards so Dante couldn’t see his grimace. “Father has no right to Nero’s presence, and Nero deserves a better family than _Sparda_. He deserves a better family than _us_.” 

“Wishes, horses, and beggars, Verge. You can’t pick and choose your family.”

“Nonsense. You clearly have. Are your feminine fellow hunters not your family?”

Dante shrugged, their steps echoing on the marble of the temple floor. “Yeah, but that ain’t the same…” 

“I beg to differ.” Vergil stopped at the flaming bowl, giving his brother’s hand a gentle squeeze before letting go. “It could be argued that the denizens of the House of Hades could become a better family to Nero than we could ever offer.”

“Hey…” 

He looked up as Dante cupped his face in his hands. His younger twin smiled softly as he pulled Vergil into a soft, sweet, short kiss. 

“You’re a better dad than Dad,” Dante told him seriously. 

“Dante, I ripped his arm off…”

“But you actually give a damn. You regret it. You want to go back in time and fix it.”

“Yes, but…”

“No buts, Verge. You might think you get your shitty parenting skills from Sparda, but you actually _care_ about Nero. You actually _want_ him back in your life, and not just for power. We both know that had you been strong enough, had _I_ not been an asshole, you would have come to me ‘n’ we could have raised him together. You didn’t, but you still had the _thought_ of protecting him by hiding him in plain sight. Even then, you cared more for Nero than Sparda did for us.”

Vergil’s lips parted to protest, but the words died before they hit his tongue as he saw Hecate approach from over Dante’s shoulder. It was the face of the crone that watched them as she entered the light of the fire. A silver brow arched, knowing the answer to the question before she spoke, “I’m not interrupting, am I?”

Dante shook his head, grinning at her. “Nope! Same old conversation, as always.”

She chuffed in amusement at them. “Very well then. And surely you came for more than just a common conversation.”

“Yeah, about that…” Dante rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “It was nice ‘n’ all for you to give us a key to see Mom, and I feel kinda like an ass for askin’, but…” He shrugged and shook his head in the same gesture. “We tried asking Sparda, and either he can’t or won’t help us. We want to um…”

“Create a more permanent, accessible bridge between worlds,” Hecate finished for him.

The elder twin narrowed his eyes on her. _We have met the maiden, who granted us the key to our mother. And now the crone with her infinite wisdom. Why not the mother? Or has another seen that face? Zagreus…_ Vergil nodded. “Sparda was the one who created the seal between worlds. We had hoped that he would teach us how to create our own path, but he has refused.”

“Thinks someone else will steal the keys or hijack the way back ‘n’ forth,” Dante added.

“A valid concern, considering it has happened before.” She crossed an arm over her chest and tapped her cheek in thought. 

Or _mock_ thought, in Vergil’s opinion as they studied one another. _She knew what we would want long before we returned,_ he told himself. Her eyes narrowed at him, and he mirrored her expression of distrust. _This is a farce. She’s already made her decision. She just wants to see us sweat. She just wants to hear us beg._

Hecate chuffed, and whether or not it was at his thoughts, Vergil couldn’t discern. Her thin lips curled into a smirk. “And what assurances could you give me that history would not repeat itself? That the proverbial keys won’t be stolen, nor that the theoretical path be, as you say, hijacked. That Sparda’s failures would not be repeated by stronger, more clever demons and humans.”

Vergil met his brother’s gaze, saw Dante’s small, subtle shrug. _Perhaps we should have discussed this after all… An error that will need addressing, in the privacy of our chambers._ He drew a heavy sigh and faced Hecate. 

“We can offer only our word, goddess,” the elder twin answered at last. “We can offer only our vow to do everything in our combined power to prevent the past from happening again.”

Dante grinned. “Two heads are better than one.”

“Is that why you dual-wield?” Vergil asked his twin quietly, a playful grin on his lips.

“Says the guy that used _Yamato_ and _Force Edge_ at the same time when he had the chance,” Dante teased right back.

“A guardian for either side of the gate,” Hecate purred to herself in thought. She nodded and held her elegantly wrinkled hands out to them. “I have made my decision, Sons of Sparda. Step forward and place in my hands your weapons, but do not let go of them. For the keys I will grant you will be bound not just to your blades, but to your souls.” She arched an eyebrow at them. “I warn you now. If you accept this gift I grant you, you also accept the responsibility of being the keepers and protectors of the keys. Should they fall into the wrong hands, you will be bound by duty to destroy the keys before they can be used for evil. And to destroy the keys, you will be forced to destroy yourselves.”

Dante summoned his massive sword that shared his name. “Just so that my one braincell understands… You’re putting the key back and forth in our swords and souls… And if someone not us gets ahold of them, we have to break our weapons and kill ourselves?”

Hecate studied him for a moment, then nodded. “That is correct.”

“Oh… Well, when you put it like that…” He gave her a look Vergil knew meant that Dante was going to do whatever he wanted, regardless of the consequences. It was one muscle shy of rolling his eyes completely. “Not to be rude, but ain’t that what I’ve been doin’ all my life to begin with? Huntin’ down rogue demons that try to cross over ‘n’ make a mess on the human side of the worlds?”

Her eyes flicked to Vergil. “And you? Do you have any hesitations?”

He shifted his grip on _Yamato_ to hold it by the sheath as he offered her the grip, letting the offering of his sword speak for him. Dante grinned beside him and struck the point of his sword into the marble floor. His own grip close to the hilt, he offered the rest of the pommel and grip to her. 

The goddess smiled. “Very well then.” Her hands grasped the swords offered to her, and Vergil could feel her strength and power flowing into him like an IV of ice in his veins. “To Vergil, Firstborn Son of Sparda, I grant to you the key to the House of Hades. I grant _Yamato_ the power to cut a rift through the veil, but only to take you to the House of Hades. To Dante, Secondborn Son of Sparda, I grant to you the key to your shop, _Devil May Cry_. I grant _Dante_ the power to cut a rift through the veil, but only to take you home. Understand this, sons of Sparda. One key cannot take you to both places. Should one desire to cross the worlds, the other _must_ follow.” 

Vergil closed his eyes, letting her power and gift flow through him without resistance. How much time had passed, he wasn’t certain as he felt her power recede like a wave washing over him. When he opened his eyes again, the moon hadn’t changed its position above them. Dante blinked as if he were waking up from a nap beside him, and Hecate smiled as she let go of their weapons. He tied _Yamato_ to his belt, his hand resting on the pommel in a casual, relaxed gesture. Dante dismissed his demonic blade with a thought, the weapon disappearing in a cloud of orange sparks. 

Hecate clasped her hands. “When next you visit, I hope it will be for a more social reason than to request further assistance.”

Dante grinned at her. “Don’t worry, we’ll get you an invite to the wedding too.”

She chuffed, her smile taking years from her face.

“Thank you,” Vergil told her, his voice sincere. “Truly. I did not think myself worthy of…”

The goddess stopped him with a gesture. “There is no need to harm yourself with words for the sake of appearances, son of Sparda. I hear the gratitude in your heart, and I accept it.” Her smile became a knowing one. “Go now. Return to the House of Hades. You have much yet to do.”

Vergil didn’t stop her, watching in fascination as she took two steps backwards and disappeared into the night. 

Dante nudged him with an elbow. “We should tell Nero that we can go home. He might want to come with.”

“Of course…” 

Taking a deep breath, Vergil reached for that new power, that _feeling_ of magic in his veins and grasped it, _concentrating_ on it. He drew _Yamato_ , and as he had before, made two slices in the air ahead of him. Like fabric being cut, the slices physically appeared in the world. Within the tear was the House of Hades itself, facing a blank walk with the Pool of the Styx to one side. Saying nothing, Dante went through first, and Vergil followed, the portal closing behind him.


	40. Chapter 40

It was always sunrise when Zag reached the surface. He never wondered why, never thought about it, but as he stood beside Nero in the snowy field, the prince watched the sun rise and let his mind wander. _It must be the way time flows in the Underworld,_ Zag thought as they stood silently at the cliffside, watching the sky change colors. _A moment in the house could be years on Earth… or the other way around. How else does Than do his job so efficiently, if time flowed the same in both places?_

Hades, as always, had been a difficult fight. Even with Nero fighting beside him, taking down his father was a chore. But the reward of seeing the sunrise, of feeling the cool bite of the snow, of the warmth of the light as they continued on into Persephone’s sunny garden - everything was worth it. Nero took his strange flat, glowing stone from his pocket and swiped his thumb over it. _Phone,_ Zag thought, pausing to watch his betrothed. _He called it his phone._

“Is something the matter?”

Nero shook his head, giving Zag a small smile as he put the thing back in his pocket. “Nah… Just seein’ where we landed.”

Zag nodded slowly. He grinned and grabbed Nero’s hand, dragging him the rest of the way to the cottage. Persephone stood from her work, dusting her hands off with her gown. Despite their previous argument, she was still smiling. _She’s still happy to see me. Even if I do bring so much danger and risk. How can I make her understand? Why I fight through Hell again and again, just to see her smile…_

“Well then!” Persephone said with a huff as the two young men joined her. “My son has returned, and with more guests. And pray tell, who might you be?”

The devil hunter shuffled his feet, shifting his weight under her studious stare. He rubbed his nose with his arm, started to offer his hand to her, realized it was now covered in snot and sweat, and tried to rub the offending limb on his pants to clean it. 

“Nero,” he finally answered as he tried to shake hands again. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

She chuffed in amusement, shaking the offered hand briefly. “Hail Nero. You’ll have to forgive my not being prepared for visitors…” Her eyes narrowed on Zag. “I was not expecting that Zagreus would return, let alone with a friend.”

“Mother, please,” Zag hissed, feeling a flush of embarrassment burn his cheeks and neck. “We have a lot to talk about, and there is much I need to tell you that I didn’t get to say the last time we met.”

Persephone sighed, lifting a hand to halt further protests. “I would be more upset if…”

“If what, Mother?”

Her eyes returned to Nero, looking over him as if looking _for_ something. “I’m curious as to which boons and favors you accepted on your journey here. I can see the string of Fate connecting the two of you by the hand, and yet… I do not feel it’s magic. It’s _power_. Something… some _one_ is shielding you both with an aura that I cannot see or name. I can only feel an _emptiness_ around you… As if the more I try to grasp it, the more it just slips away and becomes unfocused…” She sighed and shook her head. “You’re here, now. That’s all that matters.” Persephone gave them both a small smile. “Come. Have a seat and rest a bit. You’re both weary, and our time together is limited.”

 _Is it though?_ Zag wondered as she led them to her little table set for two. She scurried inside to get a third chair while the two young men got comfortable. _By now… Normally at this point, I feel as if all the strength has left me. That just breathing is a labor. And yet this time… I feel as if I could lift this table with one hand and not be weakened._ He glanced to Nero beside him. The devil hunter had his hands in his coat pockets, _Red Queen_ leaning on the table beside him. His leg bounced as he looked around, taking in his surroundings as if suspicious of the tree music or the wind between the flowers. _Is it him? Was Father speaking truth after all? We have bonded physically… and…_ He ran his palm over his chest, trying to rub away the ache that developed in his ribs. Zag sat up straight as his mother finally joined them at the table. 

Persephone threaded her fingers together and placed her chin on them, studying Nero once more. His attention landed on her, and Zag could feel the air around them tighten, as if a great hand was slowly closing in around them. Unsure of what to say or do, Zag occupied his hands and lips with a cup of fresh herbal tea.

“You haven’t asked me,” she finally said, just as Zag began to worry that the air around them would shatter like a wave on the rocks.

“Asked you what?”

“Anything.”

Nero shrugged sheepishly. “It’s really none of my business.”

“What is?”

He grinned at her. “Anything.”

The goddess smiled, raising an eyebrow at him. “I like him, Zagreus… He’s not afraid to speak to me plainly. My presence easily intimidated Dante and Vergil, whereas you… I get the feeling that any curse I may place on you would be merely a mild inconvenience and hold little power.” 

“I’m not scared of Big Mom energy the way they are,” Nero replied confidently. His smile fell a little as he took a cup of tea and studied the porcelain in his hands. “Guess it’s the only thing good ‘bout not knowin’ my mother…”

Her smile shifted, going from the look of a predator stalking its prey to a softness that Zag knew to be pity. “I see…” Persephone hummed. “So many broken families… I truly apologize for bringing up sad memories.”

Nero shook his head. “It’s… it’s okay…” He grinned a little and nudged Zag with his elbow. “Hey, since we’re gonna be sharin’ everything anyway, can I have your mom?” The devil hunter blushed, as if suddenly realizing his words could be misunderstood. “I mean as my mom too! I didn’t mean like um…”

Persephone laughed as Zag’s embarrassment went over him until he looked like he had been dipped in red wine for far too long. “What is that supposed to mean?” She questioned. “Not the having a replacement mother, but the other part. Why would the two of you be sharing anything or everything?”

Zag exchanged a look with his betrothed. Nero’s teal-blue eyes looked from Zag to Persephone to Zag again, his lips pursed. _“I’m not going to be the one to tell her,”_ those sea-blue eyes seemed to say. _“She’s your mom. You tell her.”_

The prince of the Underworld sighed heavily. “Well… I was trying to tell you the last time I visited, but I didn’t get the chance to say much… Father has um…”

Her golden brows furrowed, but Persephone didn’t try to fill the silence as Zag fumbled for the right words.

“Father has uh… made an arrangement… with um… with another… person…” He looked to Nero for help, but the other young man just shook his head. _So much for not being afraid of… what did he call it? Big Mom energy? What does that even mean?_ Zag cleared his throat. “Nero and I are to be wed. The last time I came to visit, I wanted your help to er… to try to change Father’s mind about everything…” 

Persephone said nothing at first, staring at her son as if to try to wring the truth from him by her gaze alone. Zag only shuffled uncomfortably in his seat. _Oh Mother, I wish I was jesting,_ he thought, unable to say the words out loud. He felt guilty enough at admitting that he wanted a way out in front of Nero, but… _He’s said it himself… There must be a way around this arrangement._ His heart ached at the thought. _I_ **_do_ ** _want out of it still, don’t I? Neither of us…_ He couldn’t even finish the thought without feeling remorseful. _I’ve grown to like him._

“You’re serious…” Persephone finally mumbled. “Blood and darkness, what is your father thinking? Arranging your marriage like that… Times have changed, and he should damn well know better than that…”

“It’s quite alright, Mother,” Zag tried to assure her. “We’ve…”

“We’re goin’ through with it,” Nero finished for him. “Aaaand we want you to be there.”

“We do?” 

“You do?”

Nero grinned, sitting up in his seat. “Yeah! I mean… That’s why Zag’s been fightin’, right? To come see you? To bring you back to the Underworld? To put your family back together? We’re goin’ through with it, because it means Zag gets to spend more time up here. And I figure, if we have a happy ending, it’ll just annoy Hades more that he couldn’t annoy us.”

She chuffed at that, but didn’t interrupt him.

“So you _have_ to come back. We want you to be there for the wedding. It’s only proper if you’re there to witness it and get Zag ready as a beautiful bride.”

Zag flushed, suddenly yanked back to the conversation before his thoughts could wander. “What do you mean make _me_ a beautiful bride? You’re the one wearing the dress!”

“Says who?” 

He shrank under Nero’s confident grin. “That’s not the point…” Zag sighed. “Mother, please… I want you in my life again. Father is no fool, and neither are you. We can fix this. Not just with Father, but with… with everyone! Olympus, the Underworld, the Surface… Don’t you see? This wedding… this union of the three realms is the perfect foundation of mending broken bonds and old wounds.”

“You have your father’s stubbornness,” Persephone muttered to herself. Her voice rose to address them both. “It’s not that simple, Zagreus.” Her gaze slipped away guiltily from him. “Besides…”

“What?” Zag demanded, annoyance in his tone. “Besides what? Tell me, please.”

“Um…” Nero cleared his throat and set aside the cup of tea. He stood from his seat and pushed it in. “I’m… I’m just gonna leave you two alone.” 

Persephone sighed as she watched him go. When he was far enough away, standing by the river with his back to them, she finally replied. “The truth is… I like it here, Zagreus. I’ve done well for myself, on my own, considering… And your father… He has his domain to look after. He doesn’t need me to distract him. The feelings he once may have had for me… feelings we shared…” She shook her head. “They fade, with time. Perhaps you’ll understand, someday.”

“ _No!_ ” Zag stood from his seat, slamming his fists on the table. His mother didn’t flinch, as if used to standing her ground against such displays of violence. “ _You’re_ the one who doesn’t understand… You don’t understand anything, Mother! Father still loves you! Why else has he been so damned secretive of you? Because he’s ashamed of you?” He shook his head. “You said it yourself… Father’s no fool. He’s been holding me back from finding you, lying to Olympus through his teeth to protect you. And he owes you an apology, damn it! I cannot make amends with you on his behalf… and like with Olympus, this is something only the two of you can do together.”

She stared at him blankly, her brows knitting further as she shook her head slowly. Unbelieving. “What do you mean he still loves me, Zagreus?” Her voice was so small, so childlike that he regretted taking his anger out on her table. “How would _you_ know?”

“Because I’m his blasted son, that’s how I know,” he growled under his breath. Zag slumped back into the seat behind him, trying to think of anything, of any sign. But then he remembered that brief moment. In all his rage, in all his fury, in all his heartbreak, he had seen that one clue, that one shred of proof he needed. “In Father’s bedchambers… mind you, I wasn’t there for very long, and there isn’t much in there save for a desk and his wardrobe of capes… But I saw it. On his nightstand, there’s a portrait of _you_. Garbed in red and black, and adorned with a crown of ruby laurels. A queen. _His_ queen.”

Her emerald eyes went wide, and he saw in the soft smile on her face that he was leading her in the right direction. Persephone sat back in her seat and smoothed the wrinkles from her gown. “I was fitted for those garments when I first arrived. They… They were not my customary style… but then again, I had never expected to become a queen. I lived my life as a humble farmer.” She chuffed and shook her head. “So he has a portrait of me. Why he has it out on display for his guests when he wishes to keep me a secret is curious…”

“No, no! He never lets anyone into his bedchambers! Well… except for this one time… two times… but still, that’s not the point! He didn’t _just_ put it out on display, it’s been there! The entire time! Since you left him…” Zag smiled and reached to her, holding her hands in his. He tilted his head, bending it to try to look her in the eye as she tried to avoid his knowing gaze. “Tell me, Mother… What could that mean?”

“That…” She sighed dreamily, smiling shyly. Her rough fingers gave his a gentle squeeze. “That he loves me still… Is that what you want me to say?”

“What I want you to say…” He shook his head, feeling his heart sinking in doubt. “It’s not about what I want you to say… It’s…” His smile fell away as he looked to their hands. “Did you ever love him?”

“All I wanted was to leave Olympus… I never expected… I didn’t exactly abscond, but I doubt I had much of a choice in the matter… Perhaps Zeus knew how I felt… But…” She nodded. “Yes… Yes, I grew to love your father.” A playful grin grew on her face. “He was different towards me, than everyone else. He didn’t place me on a pedestal or try to flatter me for favors the way the other Olympians puff themselves and each other. He treated me as an equal. Gave me my space… which is more than I can say about the others.”

“Won’t you please visit him then?” Zag begged. “Or Cerberus and the others… They miss you, Mother. At least come witness the wedding. Perhaps with all of us together, we can figure something out.”

“I… I just don’t know, my son… Olympus is behind me. And the Underworld…” She shook her head, her eyes misting with tears that she held back. “I doubt that they would welcome me, after all this time… I was not… I didn’t belong.”

“But you are their Queen…”

“Enough Zagreus…” 

The words cut him like a knife, and just like that, he knew there was no more he could say or do to convince her. She gave his hands a gentle pat, then pulled her own away. 

“You have stayed here longer than usual… Perhaps you should spend your remaining time seeing more of the world…”

“You’re dismissing me now?”

“Please Zagreus… I… I wish to be alone with my thoughts.”

He could only nod, standing from his seat. “I’ll come back, Mother. Nothing can stop that.”

Persephone nodded in silence, saying nothing more to him. 

During their conversation, Nero had wandered away further from the cottage and garden, and it took some time for Zag to find him. The devil hunter sat on the sandy shore, watching the waves come and go as the sun rippled on the water. Zag couldn’t help but smile, and when he sat down and leaned against Nero, the other young man didn’t pull away. An arm circled Zag’s waist, pulling him nearer.

“I never get to see this,” Zag admitted quietly. “I’ve usually returned home by now, claimed by the Styx. I hate it… I hate that Father was right… and yet…” He turned his head, his breath catching at those eyes and those lips so close to his own. Nero’s eyes were the same color as the sea. “I’m happy that I get to see more of the world…”

“Shame it’d take so long to get home,” Nero mumbled, his eyes on Zag’s lips. “There’s… so much I want to show you…”

“Show me what you can, Nero. And next time, you can show me more.”

Nero smiled and nodded, pulling Zag nearer to kiss his lips softly.

Zag didn’t understand time. But he could feel it for once, as he sat beside Nero. He could feel the passing hours as the sun arched over head and dipped behind them. He could feel the grains of the sands of time whispering away as the sky changed colors and became the sparkling, royal purple hair and gown of Lady Nyx. The prince almost thought he saw her face on the moon, smiling down at them as he kissed Nero one last time. The darkness of night was a different color of darkness than the blackness of when the Styx carried him home. _At least in the night, there are stars to give some sparkle of light and hope…_


	41. Chapter 41

Dante stretched as the portal closed behind them, groaning a sigh out as he relaxed. The House of Hades was _quiet._ Hypnos snoozed at his post nearby, and the red devil had half a mind to sneak up on him to try to startle him. Beyond the sleeping list-keeper, the gargantuan desk was empty and the space beside it where the Cerberus _should_ be napping was just as unoccupied. He bit back a whine. 

“One of these days…”

“What was that?”

The younger twin shook his head with a shrug. He gave his brother a small grin. “One of these days, I’m gonna pet that damn Cerberus.”

Vergil chuffed at him, fighting back an amused smirk. “You and that damn dog…”

“Hey, I feel _bad_ about havin’ to kill the other two!”

“As I am well aware…” Vergil sighed, looking around. His voice was hushed, as if afraid to speak too loudly. “Where _is_ everyone? The house feels…”

“Abandoned.”

He nodded.

Dante nudged his brother with an elbow. “Well, let’s take a look around. Now that we’re officially welcome guests here, don’t think anyone would mind. And maybe someone knows where everyone else went.” He grinned at the sudden idea of talking with Achilles more and started off ahead of his brother before Vergil could protest. 

However, it was Kyrie that they found first. She hummed as she crossed the foyer, a basket of folded red cloth against her hip. The maiden paused as she saw the pair in the corner of her eye and smiled at them. 

“Hey!” Dante greeted her with a grin. He made a circular gesture as he spoke. “Where’s everyone at? This place is almost too quiet.” 

“Mr Orpheus is on a break,” Kyrie excused, nodding pointedly to the place where the court musician had sat previously. “Now let’s see… Ms Meg is in the lounge. I must warn you that she’s not in a particularly good mood, but I will help her with that as soon as I’ve finished hanging Lord Hades’ capes. Lord Hades and Cerberus went to fight Nero and Prince Zagreus, who have gone up to the surface. None of them have returned as of yet.”

The twins exchanged a look.

“If Prince Zagreus and Nero have gone to the surface…”

“Then Zag should be back soon…”

Both of them turned their attention to the distant Pool of Styx, just in time to see a body burst from the bloody waters. Dante gave Zag a nod in greeting as the young warrior shook the last drops of the river from his hair and trudged towards them. 

“Back so soon?” Dante asked with a grin.

“Unfortunately,” Zag sighed, rolling the stiffness from his undecorated shoulder. “But… I must admit, I spent more time on the surface than usual.” A small smile warmed his face. “I actually got to watch the sun _set_ for once, instead of just rise… It was…” He shook his head, letting his words fade away.

“And Nero?” Vergil asked.

The prince shrugged. “I suppose he’s gone home as well, the same way you two did after you reached the surface.”

“Then we’ve got some time…”

Zag’s dark eyebrows furrowed. “Some time? For what?”

Dante nudged him with his elbow. “Verge ‘n’ I were actually lookin’ for the two of you.”

He blinked in genuine surprise. “You were? Why?”

“Well, we found ourselves a fast-pass up to the surface,” Dante admitted with a grin. “We were thinkin’ ‘bout headin’ home for a while. Got some paperwork I gotta catch up on, ‘n’ both of us want to actually be _ready_ for our next visit here. You know, pack some spare clothes, extra condoms…”

“He _doesn’t_ need to hear that…”

The younger twin’s grin grew as he wiggled his eyebrows at his now-blushing elder.

“Can I come with you?”

Zag’s words startled Dante from teasing his brother. 

“Wait, what?”

“Can I come with you?” Zag asked again, his smile warm enough to persuade even Vergil’s icy heart. “I know I just got back, but…” He shrugged. “If it means seeing more of the Surface, I’d like to come with you. Go with you. Whatever…” 

“No, no, I know what you mean.” He exchanged a look with his twin. Vergil’s shrug was a small gesture that Dante would have missed if he wasn’t looking for the physical confirmation. Dante felt his grin grow as he nodded. “Sure. Don’t see why not. Just a head’s up, though… The shop’s a mess. Haven’t had a chance to clean up since gettin’ back, since _someone…_ ” He gave Vergil a pointed glare, his elder rolling his eyes. “Took off before we could get settled.”

“Doubt it’s much worse than my chambers,” the prince mumbled, more to himself than to the twins.

Dante summoned the massive sword that shared his name, and headed back to the Pool of Styx. He faced the blank wall that Vergil had used for the portal only minutes ago. “A’ight, Verge… You’re the one more experienced at this. What do I do?”

His twin shrugged once more. _Everyone’s givin' their shoulders a workout,_ Dante thought with a scowl. Vergil interrupted his thoughts. “Merely concentrate. I’m sure you can do _that_ at the very least…”

“Concentrate on _what_?”

“On your shop. Remember it as clearly as you can, from a perspective that you believe would be the safest to emerge from. I recommend across the street or in a neighboring alley. As you hold onto that mental image, _feel_ your sword and power cutting a door through fabric, and imagining that your shop is on the other side of that veil. Then let yourself _have_ that. Let yourself _have_ that feeling of taking three steps and finding yourself in front of your shop.”

The younger twin nodded and held his sword in both hands, taking a deep breath. Dante did just that, taking a moment to remember the front of his shop, as seen from across the street. He remembered every detail, every flicker of the neon lighting against the dark, rainy city, every mote of dust on the windows, even the sound of the bell that rang as anyone came inside. The red devil let out his held breath and sliced his sword in two movements, diagonal then horizontal. 

But instead of hitting the stone wall of the hallway, Dante’s demonic sword cut through the fabric of space to reveal his shop beyond, as if peeking through two slits of thick material. He grinned as he dismissed his sword and stepped forward, pushing the cut fabric back to make the opening wider. 

Dante bowed and gestured for the other two. “After you.”


	42. Chapter 42

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author’s note: *me, researching ancient greek musical instruments* WHY IS EVERYTHING STRINGED?!
> 
> also, i'm writing the last chapter(s) today. in following chapters, there's going to be some hints both subtle and not-so-subtle about how the story is going to end. if you think you've figured it out or have an idea of what's going to happen, please don't say anything! i don't want the experience to be spoiled for anyone. thank you for your ongoing support and for continuing to read, comment, and kudo. i really appreciate everyone's interest and feedback, and i hope that everyone continues to enjoy the story as it unfolds and comes to a close.

_There has to be some kind of mistake,_ Zag thought as he stepped through the portal after Vergil. _This… this can’t be the Surface…_

Everything was so dark, so _lifeless_ … Surrounding him were buildings so cold against his palm that they felt as if they were of the Underworld, having never been touched by the sun’s light. Even the ground beneath his feet was different; solid, stone, like the floors of the House or Tartarus. Strange metal boxes were parked on the sides of a black river that crossed the way, and Zag surmised it to be stone as well. Dante came out of the portal, which closed behind them, and walked onto the smooth black stone. Vergil followed, pausing at the black river’s edge to look both ways before following after his brother.

But Zag… Zag was stuck in place as he looked around. 

He could feel his eyes burning with new tears, _or is it this air?_ Zag wondered. He took a deep breath and coughed as his lungs tasted things that he couldn’t name. All he knew was that it felt _dirty_ compared to the wind and air at his mother’s sanctuary. Above them were clouds that were a swirling haze of grays, blues, and purples, as if the sky above had a nasty bruise. _Can Zeus’s eyes see beyond the clouds?_ He couldn’t decide if the pain in his chest was his natural death slowly approaching, or despair. All of the color in the world washed away with the threat of coming rain as thunder grumbled in the distance. The only color that seemed to exist was Dante, Vergil, and Zagreus.

Ahead of them was another building of faded red brick, its windows so dirty that Zag could see their reflections from across the street, and the neon sign blazing against the dark sky. _Devil May Cry._

“Home sweet home!” Dante exclaimed, opening his arms as if to hug the whole building.

Zag could only shake his head. _This can’t be the Surface…_ He swallowed hard and followed the twins, his eyes lifting from the strange black stone beneath his feet to the world around them. He spun on his heels, looking at everything and anything that he could. Towering above them were great monoliths that reached for the sky like the fingers of a buried colossus. One of the metal boxes rolled by, and Zag tilted his head, peering as he realized that there were people inside it. _Strange chariots…_

His head turned to the building beside them as he heard a bell ring, Dante’s back disappearing behind a closing door. Vergil, however, hesitated.

“Speak your mind,” Vergil told the prince in a gentle tone, his words a concerned suggestion and not the command Zag was accustomed to. 

He swallowed hard and shook his head. “I… I don’t understand… How… This can’t be right… This… this can’t be the Surface… It’s so… it’s so _wrong_ … Where… where is all the green? The grass and the trees… How can a place be so black and white? So devoid of life? Where are the flowers? And… and the tree music…” 

Vergil tilted his head. “Tree music?”

Zag flinched back as something small and made from the feathers of Dusa’s duster fluttered down to the ground in front of them. It’s little head bobbed back and forth as it walked, stopping only to pick and nip at the ground. He flinched again, ducking behind Vergil as the creature startled and flapped away, making throaty sounds.

“Ah…” The corner of Vergil’s lips were turned in an amused smile as he faced Zag. “Birds… the things you are thinking of, when you say ‘tree music’ is birds. I suppose you never have seen one, since there are none in the Underworld…”

“This isn’t right,” Zag insisted. “This isn’t the Surface. Where have you taken me?”

The prince watched as Vergil’s small smile fell away, dragged down by a sadness so deep that Zag felt it. 

“My prince… this _is_ the Surface.” 

He shook his head. “It… it _can’t_ be! It’s… The Surface is _beautiful!_ It’s bright and sunny and _warm_! This… this place… it’s as cold and dark… and _dead_ as Tartarus…” 

“Your mother is fortunate,” Vergil murmured quietly. “She has found one of the few places left unsullied by the destructive stain of mankind. Or perhaps it is her magic that makes that place so wonderful… so beautiful and special…” He shook his head, lifting his eyes to meet Zag’s. “I speak the truth, my prince. This is the Surface. Not everywhere is as dark and foreboding as this city, but not everywhere is as beautiful as your mother’s home either. The Surface is vast and changing, much like your father’s realm. Just as there’s more to the Underworld than the House and the three layers you must battle through, there is more to the Surface than _here_ and _there_.”

Zag opened his mouth to speak, but the words halted as Dante came out of his shop, pocketing his phone. 

“Nero’s on his way,” Dante told his brother, giving Vergil’s arm a nudge with his elbow. “Nico’s picked him up from the airport, and they’re comin’ here.”

“Why?” Vergil asked, brows furrowed. “Is his home not adequate enough?”

Dante shrugged. “Got the feelin’ he wanted to talk about somethin’...” He offered the prince a grin. “In the meantime, want a tour of the place? Ain’t as nice as the House of Hades, but… home’s home ‘n’ you’re welcome to stay as long as you want.”

He chewed his lip in thought. “Nero doesn’t live here…”

“Nah, he’s got his own place… but there’s a spare room for him when him ‘n’ Kyrie got into fights ‘n’ she kicked him out for the night.”

Zag chuffed, smiling at the mental image. _If it’s a chance to learn more about him…_ He winced and swayed a little, steadying himself before he could swoon too much. _I don’t have much time left… without him beside me…_ The prince nodded. “Sure… Lead the way…”

The younger twin nodded and held the door open for him. Zag ducked under his arm as he stepped into the shop. He could feel his lips hanging open as his gaze swept across the shop. Under his feet, the wooden floor resonated with magic. His steps had scorched grass and melted snow in the past, but here, they did nothing, as if that layer of magic protected the flooring from damage. The prince grinned a little at the strange sense of _home_ in the shop. _I feel like I’m in my own room again,_ he thought as he looked around. _Dusa would cry at the untidiness of it all…_

He circled the room, running a hand over different things. The material of the couch wasn’t one he was used to; it felt like the leather of the Underworld, but thinner. There was the unusual table covered in green material that Zag did _not_ like the feel of. It was scratchy and made him stick out his tongue, and the heavy colored balls were an even stranger addition to the table. And then there was the drumset. _That_ was something Zag recognized. The drums were more than just hide stretched over wooden urns, and the metal plates were bigger than the [_crotalum_ ](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crotalum)that he knew. But when he tapped the shining metal, it thrummed with a sound he recognized that made him smile. 

Along the walls were weapons and grotesque trophies of every kind. Weapons he recognized; swords mostly, but also gauntlets, nunchakus, and daggers; and then weapons he didn’t. Weapons that looked like behemoth brethren to the handguns Dante and Nero used. Zag didn’t touch the weapons, as tempting as it was. A black and purple instrument of some kind, leaning against the wall, seemed to sing to him in his soul, luring him like a siren to reach out and touch her. He grasped his wrist tightly behind his back, having learned long ago that some things were only to be looked at. The prince could still feel the sting of his father’s hand against his own. He turned his attention away from _Nevan_ , feeling her scoff at his rejection.

Then there was Dante’s desk itself. 

It was much smaller than Hades’, but then again, Dante was a smaller man in comparison. _Only in shape,_ Zag thought with a smile as he ran his fingers along the polished wood. _In heart? In soul? Dante is far greater than Hades. So much so that…_ He glanced to the twins, conversing quietly near a colorful box with spinning black discs on display. As if sensing Zag’s attention on him, Dante met the prince’s gaze and gave him a nod in greeting. _I wouldn’t mind calling them family, even if it isn’t by blood. But then again… what is that saying? ‘The blood of the covenant is thicker than the water of the womb.’ The bonds we forge are and can be stronger than any familial bonds one is born into…_

His gaze wandered the room, settling on the stairs going up. Zag looked to Dante once more and made a pointing gesture. The owner of the establishment gave him a nod, silent permission to explore further without an escort.

Curious, Zag ascended the stairs and reached for the door immediately to his left.

“Wait!” Dante exclaimed. “Not that one! That’s uh… that one’s mine, and trust me, you _don’t_ want to go in there… Not unless you want to lose your sense of smell. Nero’s room is the last one at the end of the hall.”

Zag spun around, his gaze going past the door in the middle to the door at the end of the open hallway. “Ah. Thank you.”

Dante gave him a wave before resuming his conversation with Vergil. 

With every step along ancient, fire-proof-enchanted carpet that ran down the hallway, Zag felt his heart begin to race more and more. A strange sense of nervousness suddenly fluttered in his heart and stomach. _Would he mind?_ Zag wondered, pausing at that mostly-closed door. It was open just a crack, just enough to let out a breeze that smelled floral, like his mother’s garden, and of clean sheets. He reached to the door, ran his fingertips along the wood. _Or if I go inside… Would I be breaking his trust by invading the sacred privacy of his room? Perhaps if I touched nothing, he’d never know I was here… But_ **_I_ ** _would know… and I would carry that knowing in my heart forever… Then again, it’s only fair… He’s been in my room already… Surely he won’t mind…_ He blushed at a thought. _I’ll see it eventually, won’t I? So what’s the difference between sooner or later?_

He closed his eyes and drew a deep breath. _Lady Athena, Lord Ares… grant me strength and courage…_ As Zag exhaled, he felt his nervousness fade away. The brass doorknob was cool against his palm, and the breeze a welcome relief against his face as he pushed the door open. Inside was only darkness, and as Zag fumbled around in search of a candle to light, his hand brushed over a spot on the wall that moved. The sudden light flooding the room made him flinch back, wincing at the brief pain. After several moments, his eyes finally adjusted to the light.

Unlike Zag’s room, Nero’s was tidy and neat. _Too neat,_ he thought with a small scowl as he ran a hand over the blanket of Nero’s made bed. There wasn’t a single wrinkle in the fabric, save for where he had touched it and disturbed the topmost blanket. He touched the wooden nightstand, then rubbed his fingers together. _For someone who uses this room rarely, there’s not a speck of dust anywhere._ He heard slow, heavy steps ascending the stairs, but didn’t startle as he tilted his head at the closet. Inside wasn’t much; a white uniform with gold embellishments, a blue and red jacket, and three spare shirts and pants that were plain and unremarkable in their design. Both the white uniform and jacket had the same symbol on the biceps of their sleeves. The prince felt a _presence_ behind him, felt the pressure of the room change with the entrance of another person, but he didn’t have to look to know who was standing in the doorway, leaning on the doorframe with arms crossed over his chest.

Zag touched the decorative embroidery of the uniform gingerly, running the pad of his thumb across the tight stitching. “Would it be poor taste of me to ask him to wear this for our wedding? I’d like to see him in his regalia, wearing the emblem of his family. Or would wearing a relic of his past hurt him?”

“Nah, I don’t think he’d mind too much,” Dante replied, a grin in his voice. “He looks good in that uniform too.”

“You’ve seen him in it?” Zag asked as he faced the demon-hunter.

Dante’s eyes didn’t match his smile as he nodded. “Yeah… Yeah, I’ve seen him in it a couple times. Once when we were honoring the fallen of Fortuna, and once um…”

“When he and Ms Kyrie were married.”

The red twin nodded.

“I feel…” Zag sighed and shook his head, lowering his hand from the garment and closing the closet. “I feel so _conflicted_. Like I’ve been torn apart, and each version of me _feels_ something different… _wants_ something different…” He hugged himself, feeling the numbness start its way up one of his legs. “I feel awful about Ms Kyrie… He loved her, and now… now _this_ … And I want to know more about him… I truly do. Just as I want to know more about the mortal world.” His eyes fell to the floor between them. “And Than… I love Thanatos with all my heart and soul… yet I can’t deny that I feel _something_ for Nero. If my love for Than were a garden in full bloom, my feelings for Nero are seeds newly sprouting…” He swallowed a lump forming in his throat as he lifted his eyes to Dante. “What does that say about me? To love another man so willingly? To demand that he love me in return so soon after losing his love?”

“It says nothing,” Dante replied, his soft smile warming his eyes. “You aren’t defined by who you love or how you love. No one is.” He shrugged and shook his head. “There’s more to yourself than bein’ gay ‘n’ havin’ the hots for more than one guy. Lovin’ Than, ‘n’ lovin’ Nero… It’s not _wrong_ , Zag. Hell, we call it ‘polyamory’ here in the mortal world. The straights frown at it, but who the fuck cares what they think? As long as the three of you are of age, which you are, and as long as the three of you consent to whatever it is you do behind closed doors… as long as you’re _happy_ … _That’s_ what really matters. Nero’s a good kid. He tries to be a badass like me ‘n’ Verge, but he’s too kind. If you reached into his chest and pulled out his heart, I _promise_ you it’d be made of pure gold. And _that’s_ what defines him. Not that he was married or that he’s in love with you ‘n’ Kyrie… Not that he used to be a Holy Knight for a cult… Not that he’s quarter demon or a mudblood or whatever… But that he wants you to be happy as much as he wants Kyrie to be happy.”

Zag couldn’t help but mirror Dante’s smile, nodding. The hunter’s pep talk had helped a little, but there was still so much to know, so many questions left unanswered. He doubled-over as he felt a sharp, stabbing pain somewhere in his belly, and knew his time was running out. Dante was at his side in a flash, his hand on the prince’s back burning hot even through Zag’s clothes. Sweat burned as it dripped into his eye and the flavor of salt and blood filled his mouth.

“I think…” Zag gasped quietly. “I’d best lie down… Could we go downstairs? I want to be able to see Nero again… before I go…”

He felt light in Dante’s arms as the devil scooped him up to carry downstairs. Zag closed his eyes, resting his head against Dante’s shoulder for the brief journey. The man smelled of cologne, gunpowder, whiskey, and blood - the combination intoxicating enough that he nosed a little closer to that patch of skin where neck met shoulder, left exposed by the cut of Dante’s shirt. The prince didn’t whine as he was set on the comfortable couch, and after quickly exchanged whispers, he felt the warmth of a certain red leather coat draped over his body, covering him from toes to shoulders. 

“How far out is Nero?” Dante asked quietly.

“I don’t know,” came the even quieter response. “Too many factors at play. Getting through security at the airport, traffic between there and here…”

Zag peeked between his eyelashes in time to watch Dante sit on the armrest beside him. The prince lifted a weakening arm to touch Dante’s scruffy cheek with his knuckles. “You’re acting as if I’m dying…”

Dante shook his head, his voice catching in his throat. “Zag… You _are_ dying…”

“Not for the first… nor for the last time, I promise you…”

His brows furrowed in silent confusion.

“I am of the Underworld. Like Meg and her sisters, if I’m slain, I’ll just come back through the pool. This… this slow death happens every time I come to the surface, Dante… You knew that.”

Dante turned enough to glare at Vergil. “No… I didn’t. _Someone_ hadn’t filled me in on all the tiny details…”

“It doesn’t matter… Once Nero and I are bonded, my time here will be longer…”

He flinched at the sound of bells and heavy boots stomping into the shop, stopping short at the sight of the trio.

 _Red Queen_ fell from Nero’s hand and clattered onto the floor.

“Zagreus?” 

The prince chuffed, opening his eyes to see the look of surprise on the young hunter’s face. “I wanted to see your world again,” Zag excused. “I wanted to-” Another shot of pain cut him off mid-word. As before, he could count the minutes he had left by what he could and couldn’t feel. 

Nero was at his side in what felt like a heartbeat, sitting on the couch. He pulled Zag against him, leaned the prince into his body to offer his strength, his warmth, his _presence_. “Hey! It’s okay,” he whispered, running his fingers through Zag’s hair. “Just relax. It’s okay. You can go back.” He tried to smile. “I’ll be there in a bit, alright? Got a lot of plannin’ ahead of us… and I want to bring some stuff to you. Early wedding gifts.”

Zag couldn’t help but laugh a little. “Kiss me, before I go?”

To his surprise, Nero didn’t hesitate. The last thing Zag felt was Nero’s soft lips against his own. The last thing Zag heard was Nero’s voice, promising quietly in his ear, “I’ll see you at home.”


	43. Chapter 43

_Devil May Cry_ was eerily quiet, despite the three occupants. The jukebox didn’t play. There was no singing or humming of someone at work dusting or pressing new bullets. There were no heated arguments or words spoken. Only the quiet as the three took in what they had just seen. Nothing remained of Zag. Not even a stain of blood on the couch or the smell of sulfur or iron. Only the lingering warmth on Nero’s lips and in his hand. He stood and handed Dante his coat back, pushing past the twins for the stairs.

“Nero, wait a minute.”

Normally Dante’s words would stop him, would pull Nero back like a tug on an invisible leash, but he hardly heard them as he ascended the steps. Instead, he heard the heavy footfalls of Dante behind him. The young hunter made it to his room first, slamming the door open before Dante could grab him or stop him from entering his private sanctuary. 

_Not so private_ , Nero thought with narrowed eyes. He touched a small wrinkle in the blanket of his bed. _Someone’s been here… Zag…_

A heavy hand landed on his shoulder, spinning him to face stormy blue eyes. Nero snapped back into his body at Dante’s nearness. But as he studied his uncle, he could see the concern and sadness in Dante’s eyes, not the anger he was expecting. 

“Nero, talk to me,” Dante urged him quietly, his grip on Nero’s arms loosening. 

He shrugged out of Dante’s hands. “There’s nothin’ to talk about…”

“Like Hell there is…” 

He heard Dante’s heavy sigh, even over the sound of the closet door’s hinges creaking as he opened it and moved aside his coat and uniform. 

“Is that what normally happens? When he’s here for too long? He just…”

“Melts away…” Nero finished. He nodded, glancing back at Dante. “Yeah… He can’t live on the surface for very long. Bein’ near me…” He shrugged and shook his head in the same gesture. “Vergil ‘n’ Hades… I hate to admit it, but they’re right. Just bein’ beside me helps him hold on longer. What I don’t understand is how he got back here in the first place. How _you_ got back here before me.”

Dante leaned against the doorframe, crossing his arms over his chest. “You want the long story or the cliffnotes?”

Nero chuffed, admitting a small smile. “Pretend it’s a mission description.”

His uncle laughed a little, nodding. “We met with a goddess of travel, and she’s blessed us with the keys to go back and forth between the House ‘n’ here. Zag tagged along for the ride because he wanted to learn more about you ‘n’ your world.”

“Because _that’s_ not a terrible idea,” Nero grumbled. He faced the older hunter fully. “What about me? How do I go back ‘n’ forth as easy as you two? Last I checked, I’m gonna haf’tuh fight my way out with Zag every time I go down.”

“Timber,” Dante sneezed into his fist. 

“Haha.” He flipped Dante off. His uncle only grinned and rubbed the bridge of his nose with a middle finger in return. “Seriously though. I’m the one with a future in the Underworld. How come you two get fast passes?”

“Because we didn’t think to ask,” Dante admitted sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. “Listen, we hadn’t thought that far ahead. Verge ‘n’ I…” He shook his head. “We were just too happy to see Mom again to think straight. We… _I_ was bein’ selfish for not asking for something for you.” The hunter chuffed, smiling to himself. “Guess we assumed you’d get your own special pass… But hey! We’re here on the surface for a while! And Verge can get us back down there whenever we’re ready. Take advantage of that.”

Nero returned his attention to the closet and the contents within. “I planned on it…” 

After a few minutes of searching, he finally found what he wanted and tossed the worn backpack onto the bed. It was the same one he had left Fortuna with, carrying his few possessions from the island to modern civilization. He had hoped to keep it locked away forever, but _That damn backpack seems to follow me whenever I go to a new world,_ Nero thought as he cast a look at his uncle. Dante smiled and nodded, leaving silently to let the young hunter resume his packing. 

He got out the ceremonial white uniform from the Order of the Sword and held it at arm’s reach, watching the motes of dust swirl around it in the dim lighting. 

_I’m burning this damn thing after the wedding,_ Nero thought as he tossed it onto the bed. _I’m tired of wearing it, and I’m tired of the past catching up to me. Just when I think I’ve gotten away from it all…_ He rubbed his eyes with his hands, then sighed, returning his gaze to the closet. _Most of my clothes are at the house. I only came here for the backpack and uniform. There’s nothing else here… Nothing tyin’ me to the shop except for Dante and Vergil… Nothing tyin’ me to the surface except for the family business…_ _Instead of thinkin’ about comin’ back… maybe I should consider gettin’ all the stuff I need to go down there… to stay for good. My life is in the Underworld now. Kyrie… Zag…_ A lump formed in his throat. _Credo… There’s nothin’ for me here except memories and pain… Maybe that’s why I haven’t been given a special way in ‘n’ out the way they do… Because I’m not meant to leave… Because I’m meant to stay…_

A knuckle tapped twice on the door behind him, and Nero knew from that small gesture who it was in the doorway before he even looked. Vergil was without _Yamato_ and without his coat, his arms bare as he tucked his hands behind his back. 

“Might I have a moment?” Vergil asked. 

Nero nodded, closing the closet door. “Yeah… What’s up?”

His father dared a cautious step into Nero’s room, but ventured no further as Nero opened the shirt of the uniform on his bed to take the hanger out. “I… was unsure of how to breach this topic with you in a civil manner… Especially after such an emotional moment with your… with Prince Zagreus…”

“You can say it, Verge.” He rose an eyebrow at the older demon, smirking a little. “With my fiancé.” Nero shook his head and began folding a plain white undertunic that went with the uniform. “The only person whose feelings are hurt are Kyrie’s, ‘n’ she’s not around to hear you say it. Hell, she’s fine with sayin’ it herself…”

Vergil sighed heavily. “That is what I wished to speak of, Nero.”

He looked up suddenly. “Kyrie?”

“Yes and no… This is… difficult, so I must ask that you be patient with me.”

Nero smiled a little. “Yeah… Take your time. I won’t judge.”

“Thank you…” His eyes followed Nero’s hands as the young hunter tucked away the tunic and began folding the pants of the uniform. “First of all, I want to say that… that I immensely regret forcing you into this rather awkward and unnecessary situation…”

A teasing grin grew on Nero’s lips as he looked up from his work. “You? Apologizing?”

His attention snapped away from Nero, finding the blinds of the windows suddenly fascinating. “Yes, I’m sure Lord Hades just shivered from a cold breeze, but the point still stands… I…” Vergil sighed heavily, his shoulders slumping. “I have acted foolishly in an attempt at doing good…” He tried to smile, but even Nero knew his heart wasn’t into it. “Being evil is so much easier than doing the right thing. One always knows what the wrong choice is, but never the right one…”

“You’re not makin’ any sense.”

“Nero, I made a mistake, and I wish to rectify it before it’s too late.”

“What are you say-”

“You don’t have to marry Prince Zagreus.”

The world around them halted. Even Nero’s heart stopped for a moment. “I… _what?”_

Vergil entered further to sit on the edge of the bed. His shoulders sank further, as if the weight of the world were on them. He rubbed his face with his hands before letting them flop between his knees. 

“Insult your uncle as much as either of us do, it is really… _I_ am the fool of the family…” His fingers threaded together, but he didn’t look up at Nero, either out of guilt or shame, the younger hunter couldn’t decide. Giving Vergil the benefit of a doubt, he assumed it was both as he sat beside his father. “I drew up the contract with Lord Hades with no knowledge, no information save for a divine order to ‘prevent war’ between Olympus and the Underworld. I had even assumed at the time that only through the contract would Dante and I be able to come and go between planes as we wished. And now…”

“Now you realize that you’ve done fucked up.”

He chuffed, smiling weakly. “Yes… You could say that.” His smile faded away too quickly, but Nero knew better. Vergil was not the sort of man to let his true emotions show for long, else they would be used against him. “Now that Dante and I have acquired a means of visiting our mother, there is no need for you to fulfill the contract for our benefit.”

“What about Zag? And what about the war you were trying to prevent?”

Vergil gave a subtle shake of his head, a gesture so small Nero would have missed it if he weren’t studying his father. “I know as little about that now as I did then. Lord Hades has let slip in my presence that the prince’s ongoing visits to the Surface are a contributing factor, but I get the sense that there is more going on that I have not witnessed. Whether or not my belief that your presence masks his has yet to be proven. Our… _My_ actions may yet prove to be further cause for war than prevent it. And I would not want that blame on you, nor on the prince. If anyone is at fault for all that has happened, it’s me. I am playing chess against an adversary that I can’t identify with pieces that are missing and moves that can’t be predicted…” 

“But you can’t take any of this back,” Nero argued. 

“I can’t, no… but _you_ can. In the end, Nero…” He finally met his son’s gaze, his silver-blue eyes tired from a lifetime of bad decisions and conflict. “I want this to be your choice. You have the power to walk away from this. I will speak with Lord Hades. If a peace can be negotiated before the ceremony, the contract can -”

His father’s anxiously rambled words became a blur in Nero’s mind, meaningless noise that only added to the maelstrom of his swirling thoughts. _Could I really do that?_ Nero asked himself, his eyes on the rippling patterns of the hardwood floor. _Could I just walk away from Zag? Now that I’m beginning to feel something for him? Now that we’ve kissed and touched and opened ourselves to each other like that?_

The question plagued him all afternoon. As he watched the city pass by the window of the van when Nico drove him home, Nero didn’t see any of it. His eyes, and his mind, were on his prince in the Underworld. As he packed more of his clothes, more of his belongings, he thought about the two lives he could live; his future on the Surface and the life in the house of death. As he transferred songs over from his computer to a spare iPod, he asked himself over and over again, _Can I walk away from Zagreus?_

Even after he called Dante to say that he was ready to go back, Nero still wasn’t sure. 

_I need a nudge,_ he thought as Nico drove him back to the shop. _I need a sign. Something to tell me which way to go. Someone to shove me down one path or another._

Nico always parked in front of the shop, right at the steps despite the yellow “no parking zone” lines painted on the pavement. Nero hopped out of the passenger side door and slammed it closed, giving it two smacks to let her know she could go. And as he turned back to face the shop, something caught his eye.

A single, black feather floated down into his open palm. 

Nero smiled to himself as he let it float away in the breeze.

_I know what I need to do…_


	44. Chapter 44

Zag never thought he’d be glad to see the gloomy hallway of the House of Hades, _but after that?_ He trudged out of the pool, feeling the last drops of the Styx evaporate away with every step. _I’m almost happy to be home again. At least here, everything makes sense. The Underworld is supposed to be dark and dreary…_ He ran a hand through his hair, trying to ruffle some semblance of understanding directly into his brain, but the effort only made his hair annoyingly fluffy. _I wanted to see more of the mortal world, but if all of it is as grey and bleak as Dante’s city… Isn’t the Surface supposed to be filled with life?_

He passed Hypnos slowly, careful not to disturb the sleeping list-keeper from his nap. _I’m not in the mood for a quip… Not after seeing how… heartbroken the Surface can be._ His gaze went around the House. _Father hasn’t returned yet… but Cerberus has…_ The prince smiled to himself and gave his favorite guardian beast affectionate pets. _Heartbroken…_ He closed his eyes and pressed his face into soft red fur. _I had never considered that word before, or what it truly meant. I’d read it in so many poems and epics, I thought I knew what it would feel like… but here I am… How many times have I felt heartbreak in such a short time?_

The prince peeled himself from Cerberus’s fur and gave him a last pat before wandering towards his room. _I wanted to see more of the Surface… More of the world Mother loved and more of the world that created Nero… But Vergil… He said that Mother’s home was a rare place, and that the rest of the world wasn’t like that… If that’s true… I’m not sure I want to go back… Not if the rest of the Surface is as sad, as grimy, as… as heartbroken as Dante and Nero’s city…_

As he came to the crossroad of his room and the lounge, Zag paused as a ribbon of blue caught the corner of his eye. A small smile grew on his face at the sight of Kyrie at work. She was smiling as she wiped one of the tables down with a rag, and he thought he could hear the faint sound of her distant humming under the noise of the household and Orpheus’s music. He wasn’t sure what he was going to say to her, even as he approached the maiden at work.

“Ms Kyrie,” he greeted her.

She didn’t startle the way Dusa did, which was reassuring. Instead, the mortal looked up from her work, giving him her full attention. “Hail, Prince Zagreus.”

“Hail?” Zag grinned at her. “You sound as if you’re fitting in nicely.”

Kyrie giggled, giving him a shy shrug as she shook her head. “Only because Ms Meg has been so kind and patient with teaching me.”

He lifted an eyebrow at her, waiting for a quip that never came. “You’ll have to forgive my skepticism. I have a hard time imagining Meg being kind to _anyone_.” 

“So I’ve seen and heard,” Kyrie mumbled. She glanced around to see if anyone was listening before leaning closer to whisper, “There is hardly a soul here that _doesn’t_ flinch away when she enters a room. But!” The maiden’s smile grew. “Just as she’s being patient with me, I am being patient with her. Her rough nature comes from the work she must perform and the responsibilities she must endure. When we are alone, in the privacy of her chambers, she is…” A pink blush painted her cheeks. “Rather wonderful. But…” Kyrie smiled coyly at him, as if knowing something Zag didn’t. “Something tells me you didn’t come here to talk about Meg.”

Zag flushed in momentary embarrassment. “No, I um… I didn’t…” He rubbed the back of his neck, then sighed. The breath took all of his strength from him, and his shoulders slumped so deeply that he was shorter than Kyrie. “I don’t really know how to ask about this or say it but… I need some advice…”

She smiled a little brighter, her whole being glowing in the dim lighting of the lounge. The maiden wiped her hands clean on her dress, then grasped his hand with both of hers, leading him to the private corner of the lounge. Kyrie sat him down, then left in a flurry of cloth. Before he could ask where she was going, she returned from the bar with two goblets. One she set aside and the other she placed firmly in Zag’s hand. The cup was warm, and Zag could smell the warm steam. He could almost name some of the flavors; pomegranate, honey, and something else to cut the tartness. _I suppose I need to spend more time with Euridice or my mother. Either of them would know._

He couldn’t help but laugh, knowing what it was before tasting it. “What _is_ it with women and tea?”

“First of all, not all women,” Kyrie scolded him as she sat down at last. “And secondly…” She took her own goblet in her hands and drew a deep breath of the steam. Her smile only grew more. “There’s something special about a good cup of tea. Ms Trish, a friend from the surface, told me it’s because there’s antioxidants and amino acids and other stuff in the tea that helps one feel at ease. But I like to think it’s because the warmth of holding a cup of tea is like holding someone’s hand. It helps me feel less lonely.”

The prince closed his eyes as he held the goblet with both hands, smiling as he imagined it as Nero’s hand. He nodded to himself. “Yeah… Yeah, I can see that.” Zag took a cautious sip, but the liquid was still too hot to really drink. He waited until he was sure his lips and tongue weren’t scalded before speaking. “I… I got to visit the Surface not long ago. Normally when I’m there, it’s beautiful. The landscape is green and warm, the ocean so crystalline… But when I went to the city, it was so… _different_ … I felt so… so _small_ … I felt so heartbroken, so _betrayed_ to learn about that place and how dark it was… Tell me truthfully, Kyrie… Is all of the Surface like that?”

“No,” Kyrie replied without hesitation. Her eyes were on the swirling steam of her tea. “Fortuna was beautiful, before the incident. And I had imagined that all of the world was like that. That _everywhere_ was emerald trees, golden wheat, and glass oceans. When I moved to the city, I felt what you did at first… Heartbroken and small… But there is still beauty in that city. Oh, Zagreus, if only you could see it in the autumn. There are a few trees in the city, and they all turn such lovely shades of colors… Or in the spring… There is an oriental garden that Mr Dante took me to once, and it was so vibrant, so _alive_ with colors and flowers that I felt as if I was no longer in the city at all… And Ms Nico… She took me out once, in her massive van, for a whole week. Just the two of us, roaming the countryside.” She giggled at the memory, and Zag couldn’t help but smile. “And I saw the mountains, and the forests, and I felt whole again… We went fishing, and she laughed when I dropped my first caught fish. But no…” The maiden sighed and shook her head. “The Surface is… it’s so beautiful… Even it’s ugly parts. Even when it is as brutal and cruel as the Underworld can be, it’s still beautiful… And I’ll miss it…”

“What about Nero?” Zag asked. “Did he have a hard time adjusting to the change, from Fortuna to the city?”

“A little, at first,” she admitted. “But he was so focused on his work that he hardly noticed what was going on around him sometimes. It probably wouldn’t have mattered to him at all if we had moved to a swamp or a desert, so long as there were people that needed helping.” 

“It sounds as if he was away a lot…”

“He was, yes…”

“Didn’t you get lonely?”

Her bright smile returned, reminding him of the light of the sun when he visited his mother’s garden. “Never. No matter what kind of day he’d had, he’d always come home. At first, he’d sleep on the couch to keep from waking me up when he came home late, but I scolded him for it. I _wanted_ him to wake me up, no matter how late it was. Sometimes I’d even make coffee for him, and we’d sit in the kitchen in the quiet hours where no one else in the world was awake, and we’d talk and talk… I loved those moments the most, because for that brief time, it felt like we were the only people in the world… That it was just us, the kitchen, and our coffee… And sometimes he’d come home early enough to help me cook dinner. And sometimes there were days where he wouldn’t leave at all, and he’d stay home with me all day to help with the orphanage or just _be_ with me…” 

With every word she spoke, every story she told, every question about Nero that she answered, Zag felt himself smiling more and more. He felt her adoration, felt her _love_ for Nero that was not unlike his own. And yet… _She loves Nero the way I love Than,_ Zag thought, hardly listening to her words now as she went on with a story from her childhood. _With every fiber of her being. But do I love Nero the same way? Could I wait for him, the way she did? Or would the loneliness kill me?_ His heart sunk at the thought, and he must have made a face, because Kyrie stopped talking. _It already pains me when I can’t find Than… When he’s not at the House or when he doesn’t join me for a battle on my way to the Surface… It would hurt more to wait for Nero… to come here and find that he’s not at his desk or that he isn’t halfway to Elysium waiting for me… And what about Than? How does he feel about all this? He and Nero got along alright when they first met… Does Than still feel the same as he did before? Will he still wait for me? Does he still hope?_

“Prince Zagreus… Are you alright?” Kyrie asked as he surfaced from his thoughts.

His tea had gone cold in his hands, reminding him of the cool touch of his true love. Zag smiled and nodded. “Yeah… Yes, I’m quite alright… Just um… Just got lost in my thoughts for a while.” He chugged the tea and set aside the goblet. “Thank you for the tea, and for taking the time to speak with me. I think… I think it helped…”

“I’m glad, but…” Kyrie shook her head. “You look so determined all of a sudden. What are you going to do next?”

“Well, first thing’s first. I have a family to repair. And then after that…” Zag grinned a little. “I’ll figure that out when I need to. Please take some time this afternoon to tidy my father’s chambers. I _will_ be returning with Persephone… if only for the wedding.”


	45. Chapter 45

Dante and Vergil were waiting for him when Nero entered the shop. Or, at least, Vergil was waiting. The elder twin sat at a couch, book in hand and eyes dancing across the page as Dante talked on the phone, his back to the rest of the room. It was a rare display of vulnerability that Nero was surprised to see, but he knew why Dante chose to. The gesture was a silent request for privacy, and if that weren’t a hint enough, his voice was low as he talked into the receiver. It was also an unspoken sign of trust that his elder brother wouldn’t betray him. Nero closed the door quietly behind himself and tip-toed to the couch. On the table in front of them were two bags, and Nero added his luggage to the pile before sitting down beside his father. Vergil only looked up from his book long enough to give Nero a nod in greeting.

Nero’s body twitched with newfound energy, an anticipation of something to come. _It’s like the mornin’ of a big trip,_ he thought as he rested his elbows on his knees in a futile attempt to keep one leg from bouncing. _I can almost smell the jet fuel and salted peanuts from here…_ He chuffed and shook his head. _I mean… It’s the same thing, right? I’m goin’ somewhere for a big event… And the whole universe knows. It’s like there’s more static, more electricity in the air, and it’s gettin’ me excited…_

His leg stopped hopping when Dante hung up the phone and faced them. Even Vergil lifted his eyes to give Dante his full attention. 

“Everything’s all set,” Dante told them as he came around the desk to lean on it, facing them. “Lady ‘n’ Trish are up to speed on everythin’ goin’ on, and they’re… almost _too_ happy to be in charge while we’re gone. Figured you hadn’t talked to Nico about it, but they’ll fill her in over lunch.”

“She’ll only complain for five minutes,” Nero said with a shrug. “After that, her two braincells will bump into each other, and she’ll realize she gets to work on _Kalina Ann_ some more, then be on board for whatever Lady wants.”

Vergil snapped his book shut. “Then everything is settled?”

“Unless you can think of anything I missed?”

“Surprisingly, brother…” Vergil grumbled. “You have been quite… thorough…” 

Nero exchanged a look between them.

“ _Someone_ almost forgot to pack his formals,” Dante stated with a grin.

“Ah.”

“So! If everyone’s ready…?” 

Dante swept his gaze around his shop, and for a moment, Nero saw longing in his eyes. _This return home wasn’t as long as he wanted,_ the young hunter assumed, seeing that sadness in Dante’s smile. His pale blue eyes landed on Nero and Vergil on the couch.

“A’ight then… Verge, would you do the honors?”

The elder nodded and stood from his seat, taking a moment to tuck his book away in a rather pristine blue backpack that Nero figured was brand new. _Yamato_ in hand, Vergil circled the room in search of… _something_.

“How does this work?” Nero asked his uncle quietly as Dante came to the luggage pile to grab his own well-worn red duffle bag. 

“Your old man’s gonna cut through the fabric of space and time to take us back to the House,” Dante replied in a hushed whisper. “He’s done it before, but now it won’t drain him as bad as it used to.”

Nero needed no further explanation, having seen Vergil’s trans-dimensional power for himself not too long ago.

Finding a satisfyingly open enough area, Vergil made the two cuts so quickly that Nero blinked and missed his movements. The image of the main hallway into the House of Hades appeared in that open rift, and Vergil sheathed his blade. 

“After you, gentlemen,” Vergil told them as he grabbed his bag to sling over his shoulder. 

Dante led the way, followed by Nero who fumbled as he stood and tried to grab his bag at the same time. His heart was suddenly racing with nervousness in his chest, and Nero had to resist the temptation of grabbing the tail of Dante’s coat for assurance. Ahead of him, his uncle didn’t hesitate to go through the portal, only taking his time to carefully step through and onto the colorful tile of the House. Nero mimicked the gesture as best as he could, not wanting to find out what happened if one touched that edge between worlds. He grinned at Hypnos and exchanged a wave with the sleepy listkeeper before the latter returned to his conversation with a Shade. 

Behind him, he heard Vergil step through and the fizzle of the portal closing. _Everything in its place_ , Nero thought as he looked around. Cerberus, dozing by Lord Hades’ side, the hum of Dusa or Kyrie at work somewhere else… _But where’s Zag?_

He didn’t wait for his family before he meandered further in, exchanging a brief nod with his future father-in-law. _There’s the blond guy with the spear at his post… and then there’s the mysterious night lady…_ Nero took a few cautious steps towards the eternal guard, looking around. His gaze landed on a figure robed in black, standing at a balcony overlooking the river Styx. A grin grew on his face. _Just who I was lookin’ for…_

Nero was careful to be seen and heard as he came up behind Thanatos, not wanting to spook Death Incarnate. But even as he came up to Than’s side, the cloaked man didn’t turn his head even a little. His golden gaze was on the crimson waters, as if he were waiting for something. _Or someone,_ Nero thought. _You can see the pool from here…_

“I’m not botherin’ you, am I?” Nero finally asked, his voice quiet.

Than gave a small shake of his head. Even though his words were for Nero, his gaze was still on the river of souls. “No… Not at all.”

The hunter chewed on his lips a little. “I uh… You got a moment? To talk? There’s… It’s about Zag.”

Suddenly those golden eyes snapped to him, and Nero almost grinned. 

“Knew that’d get your attention.”

“This is no laughing matter,” Than scoffed. 

“No, you’re right… Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t talking to a statue…” Nero looked around, noting that he couldn’t see Dusa or Kyrie. “So… where are we with everything?”

“I don’t understand.”

“The wedding… Has Hades started gettin’ things ready?”

“Oh…” Than nodded, his gaze drifting back to the river. “Yes, preparations are underway. The House lacks the space for the proper ceremonies, though with so few in attendance, I doubt Lord Hades minds ignoring a few of the old traditions. I have it on good authority that the veil and cloth are completed. It’s…” He sighed heavily. “Only a matter of catching yourself and Zag in the house at the same time to begin the ceremonies.” 

“I take it he left?”

Than nodded once more. “To retrieve Persephone, yes.”

“Great. That means we’ve still got time…”

“We?” Than asked, a small smile on the corner of his lips. “Time for what, if I may ask?”

“To make things right,” Nero replied. “How would you feel if I suggested some changes?”

“It depends…” Than’s eyes narrowed on him. “What are you suggesting? And would Lord Hades approve of such changes?”

“Only way to find out is to ask him. C’mon, before he leaves to meet Zag at the surface!” 

Nero brazenly looped an elbow around Than’s, giving Death Incarnate little choice but to be tugged along with him. 

“You haven’t yet said what you planned on suggesting…”

The devil hunter’s grin grew until he looked like a sphynx about to pounce.


	46. Chapter 46

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> again, i admit and apologize that this is a cheating chapter, where most of the content is pulled from the game. i tried my best to change it up a little, by adding things like zag’s thoughts and feelings that weren’t included in the ending, but that doesn’t take away the feeling of guilt from not being able to come up with something original for this chapter. Again, my deepest apologies.

Zag hardly felt the biting cold of the snow against his fiery flesh as he stepped onto the surface. The trials were behind him, and only one more obstacle stood in his path to his mother: his father. _I hate this…_ Zag thought as he hesitated. Hades hadn’t yet noticed him, his back to the pit that led to the Underworld. _I hate fighting him. I hate that he doesn’t understand. I hate that I have to kill him over and over again, as much as I hate dying again and again just to be here… just to see her…_

The snow crunched and hissed under his feet as he stepped closer, but Hades didn’t turn to face him. 

When he spoke, his voice was… _different_ from how he usually spoke to Zagreus. His normally booming voice was soft, _tired_ , Zag thought. _He sounds as tired as I feel…_

“I have done virtually everything within my power to prevent this,” Hades mused. Zag dared to step closer, brows furrowed. He kept his blade ready, the flat resting on his shoulder. “All of it… for nothing. The Fates were not content to saddle me within the earth. They mock me still.”

He swallowed hard. _Is this a trap? Or an olive branch?_ Zag tasted his words before he spoke them. “Maybe they just think you’re in the wrong. And that you’re a stubborn, intimidating, authoritarian dictator who values his bureaucracy more than his family.” Zag shook his head, daring to step closer. “Don’t you understand I’m trying to fix the problems you caused? Since you’re so unwilling to do it yourself.”

The God of the Dead sighed heavily. Zag’s eyes went wide, watching in shock as his father’s mighty shoulders _sank_. There was a pause, a moment where the world fell still. Even the rippling water seemed to go silent around them.

“You’re right.”

The words pierced through Zag, causing him to gasp and sputter as if he’d been stabbed through. All of the air felt as if it were knocked from his chest in shock.

“I was unwilling,” Hades continued, ignoring his son’s surprise. “I made my choices in all this. I loved her, yes. I loved her terribly. But now… it seems I am merely delaying the inevitable.” Finally he turned, facing Zag. The prince tried to study his father’s eyes, to try to decipher what emotions Hades was concealing, but with his father’s gargantuan height, Zag saw only shadows. “Go, then. Go to her.” His soft voice suddenly sharpened, like a blade being held to Zag’s throat. “But should harm befall her… I shall bring my worst wrath upon whomever is to blame… including you.”

Again, his father’s words shook him to his core. Even the earth beneath his feet felt as if it suddenly tilted to one side, knocking him unbalanced in all aspects; mentally, physically, and emotionally. 

“What?” Zag couldn’t have heard right. _Astreius must have hit me harder in the head than I realized… I must be going mad…_ “You’re letting me go… just like that?” He wanted to make a quip, to prod at Hades’ pride to goad an uproar… but as he spoke, he watched his father’s face. There was no change, no tell of a coming attack. “You’re… you’re serious…”

“Go,” was the softly spoken command. “Before I reconsider…”

Zag swallowed hard, feeling himself split in half. On the one hand, he wanted to stand by his father’s side, to assure him that he would protect Persephone in all the power he had, to assure Hades that he was making the right decision. But on the other hand… 

The prince ran. 

He ran for the door between worlds, for that shining light at the end of the tunnel. As much as he wanted to, Zag didn’t look back, didn’t stop to say good-bye to his father. _What does it matter? I’ll be back anyways… we both know it…_ He ran, and he didn’t stop running. He didn’t look back at the sea or stop to admire the dawn on the snow. He ran, all the way to the green grass and cobblestone path of his mother’s home. And even then, he ran all the way up to her cottage, where he saw her standing… amongst trunks and urns and boxes of _stuff_. 

Zag skidded to a halt to look around. Her garden had been harvested, leaving naked bushes, vines, and rows of green leaves. The door to her cottage was open, and white cloth covered every piece of furniture inside. Persephone looked up from her work, tucking in a folded length of cloth into a bag. 

“Zagreus?”

“Mother…” He felt his heart sinking as realization dawned on him. _She’s leaving…_ “Wait… what is all this?”

“Oh, Zagreus, I almost missed you.” She smiled sheepishly as she stood up straight, wiping her hands on her gown. “Truthfully, I hoped that I could make it a surprise…”

 _I don’t know if I can handle any more surprises…_ “Make what a surprise?”

Her smile grew, as if whatever secrets she was holding, whatever surprises she had planned were about to burst from her. “My arrival. I’m going… I’m _coming_ home. To your home. To Cerberus, Nyx… Your father.”

His jaw dropped. He had dreamt of this moment, of those words, and finally hearing them, Zag couldn’t explain with words what he felt. _This… this must be a trick… This can’t be real…_ “You’re… _really_?” Zag heard the unrestrained hope in his own voice. “Mother, you… you’re serious?”

Persephone nodded. “I am. I was only wanting to visit, for the wedding, but… You’re right. I belong in the Underworld, with you, with Hades… I ran away then, as you are now, and I think that it’s time that we both stop running from our destiny.” Her tone alone was confirmation enough, but the words, _those words_ , made his heart race. “Now then…” She looked around at her gathered things. “If you could just help me pack up my remaining things? Only a few loose odds I’m bringing, just in case.” His gaze followed hers, and he almost laughed. _Only a few things? Mother, you’re bringing everything you own!_ Her words pulled him from his thoughts. “If we hurry, maybe you could join me, rather than return the… customary way.” Her smile fell at the thought. “Not something a mother ever wants to see… let alone time after time again…”

“Join you? But…” He shook his head. “Wait, how are you going to get back? I… hadn’t thought that far ahead myself…”

Her smile became mischievous, as if she were about to share a great secret with him. “Just so happens I know somebody who can give us a ride.” She gestured towards the river that ran by her cottage, and, hearing a familiar bell toll, Zag’s gaze followed her gesture.

Cradled by the blue waters of the river was the ferry, and Charon himself, standing on the shore. Zag coughed a laugh of disbelief. “Charon?!”

A gentle hand touched Zag’s shoulder, warm as the sunlight. “Doubtless he has pressing matters to attend to,” Persephone said quietly. She patted his back. “So let’s not keep him waiting any longer, Son. Come on, then!”

Zag glanced between the ferry and her things. “But… your possessions. Not everything and us will fit on the ferry…”

She hummed as she looked to her stash of belongings. Persephone lifted a hand and made a soft, sweeping gesture. Like waves upon the shore, the grass around her things rippled and washed over the urns and bags and baskets and boxes. Everything vanished so quickly that Zag almost didn’t understand what had happened, and the grass and ground, flattened back to normal, looked so untouched that he wasn’t even sure that the things had been there in the first place. Persephone smiled and looped her arm around his, leading him away. 

He held her hand to steady her as she lifted her gown to gingerly step into the ferry. When he was sure she was safely aboard, Zag followed suit. The prince shivered, though not from the cold. _This is the first time I’ve ridden on Charon’s ferry,_ he thought as the oarsman also boarded. With one shove from his oar, the boat began its journey, following the current of the river away from the cottage. His eyes lifted to the trees above, watched as the sunlight rippled through their leaves and their shadows danced on the ferry and its passengers. 

Zag drew a deep breath and found that the gesture didn’t hurt. His limbs weren’t numb, and he didn’t feel any pain in his organs. _I should be dying by now…_ He shook his head. “I’m still alive,” he said quietly to Persephone, drawing her attention away from a leaf in her hand. “But how?”

“You’re on the River Styx, Zagreus,” she answered just as softly. “No longer in the mortal realm, entirely. If you watch closely, you can see as we enter the Underworld. But for now… we are in a place between.”

He chuffed, remembering the goddess of travel he had met what felt like lifetimes ago. Despite the somber quiet around them, he felt his heart pounding, his blood rushing. “I can’t believe this is happening…” 

“I know. My heart is racing.” She sighed, looking around them. “Nothing like a river journey to remind oneself that there’s no turning back…”

“Would you? If you could?”

Persephone’s smile grew as she shook her head. “No… No, I wouldn’t. I’m set in my decision. I… I want this.”

Zag couldn’t help but smile a little. “You sound just like Father… Seriously, though… Even after all of this… It’s only like we just met. I have so many questions for you still.”

“We’ll have plenty of time for them, I think!” Persephone laughed gently, reaching across to pat his knee. Her voice lowered to a whisper. “For now, best we keep quiet. Pretend we’re just a couple of dead souls on their final voyage.”

He sighed heavily and nodded, watching the world go by around them. With every moment that passed, Zag felt proud of his small victory. _I have her back,_ he thought, leaning back into the decorative figurehead at the bow of the ferry. He closed his eyes, seeing the light and shadows ripple against his eyelids like water. _I have her in my life… Just in time for it to be flipped upside-down again. But now that she’s home… now we can begin putting the pieces of our broken family together…_ His eyes opened, watching as grass turned to snow, and as snow melted into darkness. 

_I did it. I finally have her home._

_Now what do I do?_


	47. Chapter 47

_ “In the name of Persephone, the Queen, open the gate!” _

The words echoed through the halls of the House of Hades, shuddering Nero from his music-induced nap at his perch on the wall. Between the gentle waves of the River Styx upon the pool’s steps and Hypnos’ rhythmic snoring, Nero had gotten comfortable in his wait for Zag’s return and nodded off. But now… Now, beneath him, the powerful words of the queen returned stirred up a flurry of activity unlike he’d ever seen before or could ever imagine. 

Hades and Cerberus had left long ago, and though Nero couldn’t see where they were from where he sat, he imagined they were in the garden, waiting to be the first to meet Persephone. Shade and specter, servant and staff scrambled to form a line along the hallway from the door to the garden all the way along into the foyer and beyond. Lady Nyx, the surrogate queen, marched along the receiving line, pausing only to remark upon a person’s placement or posture or appearance. Even Kyrie and Dusa stopped what they were doing to join the tail end of the line, both staying still for Nyx’s scrutiny before she returned to her place at the head of the receiving line. At her side was Thanatos, then Hypnos, and then Meg. The First of the Furies, even after meeting Nyx’s approval, took a moment to straighten her clothes and hair, and Kyrie broke rank just long enough to help her apply a fresh coat of lipstick and assure her companion that she looked fine. Only Achilles at his post and the head chef remained where they were; the first bound by duty and the second bound by the pressing need to have the wedding feast ready on time.

As a fog of nervous tension grew in the halls of the House, Dante and Vergil came meandering from their room and stopped beneath Nero. The young hunter paused his music and jumped down to their level. Even Nero knew from his life at the Order that shouting during a royal procession was bad form. 

Dante, having no such training himself, pointed back with a thumb. “What’s with them?”

Nero could only shrug. “Guess the queen of the dead is back. Didn’t you hear her comin’ in?”

“Nah, I was sleepin’...”

Vergil beside him chuffed. “Considering the upcoming ceremonies, it would be best if we joined the receiving line to greet her. Even household guests are recommended to attend the return of a royal member.” 

“Since you’re the one with the royal seal of know-it-all, lead the way,” Dante offered with a sweeping gesture. 

His twin scoffed. “Pay attention, Dante… This sort of thing may end up being commonplace for us both,” Vergil mumbled as he stepped ahead of them towards the line. 

“How do you know which part of the line you’re in?” Nero asked quietly.

Nyx glanced over her shoulder at them and met Vergil’s gaze. She nodded pointedly to Hypnos, and Vergil gave a small nod of understanding in return. 

“By order of importance,” Vergil replied in just as low of a voice. “As betrothed to the heir, your place is higher than you might realize.”

Nero blinked. “Wait… what does that mean?”

“Means you’re higher up on the food chain, kid,” Dante grinned. 

Vergil cut into the line between Sleep Incarnate and the First of the Furies. He exchanged a glare with Meg, who said nothing in return and gestured for the line to move down to accommodate the newcomers. His hands on Nero’s shoulders, Vergil directed his son next to Hypnos, and moved Dante beside Meg, placing himself between his son and his twin.

With time to spare, Nyx left her place to scrutinize the new members of the receiving line. Nero stood up straight and held still as she zipped up then clasped his coat. The goddess of night tilted her head, then sighed in defeat, unzipping his coat just enough to expose his collarbone. 

“Your clothes are inappropriate,” Nyx mumbled as she fixed the collar of his coat.

“Can’t afford better, ma’am. I only have one good suit, and I’m savin’ it for a special day.”

She scoffed, but a small smile played on the corner of her lips. “An oversight that will be mended soon.” 

Satisfied that she’d done the best she could, she stepped on to Vergil. Nyx was one of the few women who looked him in the eye and didn’t immediately turn her gaze away. Nero bit back an impressed grin. She said nothing and moved on to Dante. Like Nero, her inspection of him was more thorough, but unlike Nero, she made no move to correct his appearance and she made no remark on it. When she returned to her post at the head of the receiving line, Dante leaned close to his brother. 

“So I guess I look fine?”

“Or you look so horrible that she accepts that nothing can be done,” Vergil teased back.

Nero bit back a snicker, his amusement quickly fading away as Nyx and her gloomy son both straightened. 

Cerberus padded ahead of the royal procession, his oversized tail wagging and a tongue lolling from one of his more excited heads. Nero couldn’t help but grin at the sight of the excited hellhound, who even held one of his heads high as he came down the line. The most friendly of the heads, however, loudly sniffed at the gathering, stopping to give Nero an extra  _ sniffsniffSNOOF _ . The massive cold, wet nose bonked into Nero’s cheek, sending him stumbling back for a moment, and the young hunter laughed as he pet the long muzzle with both hands. Dante whined on the other side of Vergil, who elbowed him into silence. 

“Easy,  _ easy _ … I’ll give pets later, I promise…” 

As if understanding him, the massive hound gave Nero’s face a last lick before bounding away to his oversized bed. 

He had just gotten the last bit of slobber wiped off of his cheek when he saw her. Nero smiled and stood up straight, trying to look like a presentable guest rather than the scruffy ragamuffin he felt like. 

Persephone walked arm-in-arm with Lord Hades, her presence in the dark House illuminating the hallway as if she were walking sunlight. Of course, her smile beaming up at Hades as they walked didn’t help. Nero grinned a little. _ I can see the hearts shooting out of her eyes at him from here… _ Though she still looked like the humble farmer he had met on the surface, something about her being in Hades’ presence made her look all the more regal.  _ Or is the way she walks? The way she holds herself? _ With her head held high and her gown in a hand to keep herself from tripping, Nero could easily imagine her adorned as a queen. She paused as she turned her gaze to the receiving line, and Nero waited until the gesture had been initiated by Nyx and Vergil, bowing with the rest of the line as if he had been practicing all his life for this moment.  _ Thanks to the Order, I may have… _

“What’s this?” Persephone asked, a shy smile returning to her face as she looked between Nyx and Hades as everyone in the line stood up straight once more. “I hadn’t expected such a formal welcome… or any welcome at all…”

“I assure you, I had not arranged for such a ceremony,” Hades mumbled. He glanced back at Zag, who trailed after them. His son could only shrug and look equally confused.

“I arranged for it,” Nyx confessed, her plush lips curving into a perfect crescent moon smile. “I felt that it would be… inappropriate for your return to be a quiet one. All of us have aided Zagreus in his quest to return to you, with the hope that perhaps one day, you would return to us. After all… what is a kingdom without its queen? As housekeeper to Lord Hades, I can safely speak for all when I say… welcome home, my queen.” 

“Oh Nyx…” Persephone dreamily sighed. 

She let go of her husband’s arm to approach the regal woman. Nero wasn’t sure what he was expecting, but the tight embrace the two women shared was not anywhere close to the top of his list. He didn’t hear the words spoken softly between them as they held one another, but he saw the kiss to Nyx’s cheek and the goddess of night bringing Persephone’s hand to her lips to kiss her knuckles. They stood so close to one another, it made Nero wonder who Persephone was  _ really _ married to. He turned his eyes away as they parted, not wanting to be the one caught staring.

Persephone took her husband’s arm in hand once more and continued on down the receiving line, giving Thanatos and Hypnos both a bowing nod in greeting. When her gaze landed on Nero, however, the queen stopped. Struggling with his lopsided grin, Nero took the moment to bow to wrestle his face into submission.

“Still not nervous of me, even in my own castle,” Persephone remarked with a smile of her own. “However will I be able to control you, if I cannot intimidate you?”

“That’s the riddle, ma’am.”

The queen chuckled quietly to herself, her eyes turning to Vergil beside him as she moved on. “Another member of aristocracy,” she remarked, her eyes going over Vergil. “You look like you’ve recovered well since last I met you.”

“It’s refreshing to be back in the presence of a proper court, my queen.” The icy demon allowed himself a small smile to match hers. “Truth be told, I thrive best on a diet of intrigue and ceremony.”

“Then I must be sure to feed you well,” Persephone returned with a quirked eyebrow. “Once I’m settled in, you and I must have another cup of tea together. We have much to discuss regarding the courts of Hell and your place in them.”

Vergil gave her another bow. “Thank you, my queen.”

As she moved on to Dante, Nero furrowed his eyebrows at his father. “What was that all about?” Nero asked in a whisper.

His father leaned closer to whisper in return, “The queen has use for me as either a diplomat or an assassin. We’ll find out soon enough what she plans, but I expect to spend more time here than previously assumed.”

Nero nodded slowly, a grin blooming on his face as Zag came up to him. Dismissed from the receiving line, Hypnos floated away to return to his duties, but Than edged closer to them to join their conversation before it could start. 

“So, glad your mom’s back?” Nero asked, unsure of how else to start the conversation.

Zag nodded, grinning widely. “Words can’t begin to describe how happy I am that she’s here… and how nervous… Everything about my life has changed so quickly, I hardly know what to do next.”

“Breathe,” Than chided him with a playful smile. 

The prince sighed heavily, seeming grateful for the reminder. 

“Will you still keep goin’ to the surface?” Nero asked. “Now that she’s here, the main reason you kept fighting to get out is gone.”

“Father mentioned before we came in that my escapades revealed weaknesses in his security. I do plan on returning to the surface, if only to continue to rub the holes in his perfect system in his face.”

“Not to mention how little of the Surface you’ve seen,” purred Thanatos. “I expect we’ll be working together more often than before.”

“Without a doubt,” Zag agreed. 

His eyes flicked over Nero’s shoulder, giving the hunter a moment’s warning before a hand touched his back. Nero met Dante’s gaze.

“Hey kid, I’m headin’ back over to visit Eva for a while,” Dante stated.

“Just you?” Nero glanced to Vergil. “You’re not going with him?”

“No,” Vergil sighed. “I will wait in the lounge for the queen. There are matters I wish to discuss with her, once she’s ready. I can visit Eva another time.”

“Will she be coming to the wedding?” Zag asked, his face lighting up at the idea.

Dante grinned and nodded. “I sure hope so. Even if you don’t have engraved invitations to hand out, I’m sure you ‘n’ your folks won’t mind if there’s an added guest or two to the list.” 

“Not at all. I’m sure Mother will be more than happy to have another to talk with over tea.” 

“That’s a terrifying thought,” Vergil grumbled. He glanced back, seeing the last of the receiving line disperse as Hades led Persephone away, to the privacy of their chambers. “I suppose it’s safe for us to be on our way.” He gave Zag a nod. “Prince Zagreus.” An arm looped around Dante’s, Vergil led his twin away.

“While they’re busy…” Nero grinned at Zag. “Brought some stuff back with me from the Surface. Got some time before your next jaunt upwards?”

“Always, for you,” Zag purred. 

Than cleared his throat. “I have duties elsewhere that must be att-”

“Oh no you don’t!” Nero interrupted, grabbing him by the wrist before Death Incarnate could poof or float away. “You’re comin’ too. You haven’t sat down with Zag in a hot minute, and you two need to spend more time together.”

The gothic god flushed with embarrassment as he was literally dragged to Zag’s room. 

“I can hardly see how that has to do with anything… but I suppose I can spare a few minutes…” Than scoffed as they entered Zag’s room, settling himself on the edge of the bed. He set aside his scythe, which vanished in a flash, and ran his hands through his hair to push his hood back. “The dead certainly aren’t going anywhere…”

“That’s the spirit!”


	48. Chapter 48

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> author's note: this is the last chapter that will have in-game dialogue in it (i think???)

Zag’s curiosity only grew more as Nero grabbed his bag from where he had it stashed under the prince’s desk. The bed sank under the bag’s weight as he set it beside Than. “What do you want first? Food, information, contraband, or entertainment?”

He stood beside his mortal fiance, leaning over his shoulder to try to steal a peek of the bag’s contents. Zag stuttered at the choices, unsure of which to ask for first. The prince smiled at his companion. “Surprise me.”

The demon hunter’s grin only grew at those tempting words. Nero grabbed a handful of thin books and pulled them from his bag to let flop onto the bed. There were several of them, and they were colorful with vibrant inks and vivid imagery. Zag picked up one and flipped through it. The pages were filled with pictures, most in boxes but some spilled over one another, or a single scene crossed the both pages. There were few words, most in bubbles with a few in boxes and even fewer accompanying the pictures as sound effects. 

“Comic books,” Nero answered his unspoken question of what exactly they were. “Wasn’t sure what you’d like, so I got a little bit of everything.” He got out a couple more books, and while these were also paperbacks, only the covers and a few pages inside were colorful. The rest were black and white, and the art styles were far more distinct and different than the others. “Okay, so those are Japanese manga and Korean manhwa. I mean, they’re both comics, but they read a little different from the American stuff.” 

Zag paused as he flipped through one, blushing at the imagery. When he glanced up at Nero’s face, he found the demon hunter grinning through his own blush. 

“That’s the good stuff,” Nero said with a wink. He returned his attention to his bag. “I wanted to go through a drive-thru, but since I didn’t know if you’d be here or not, I didn’t want to get you somethin’ that’d end up gettin’ cold. So…” He got out a white paper bag with a green emblem on it. Zag squinted, thinking he saw Poseidon for a moment in the image, but as he studied it further, it became clear that the image was of a woman, not of a man, smiling at Zag as she held her twin mermaid tails in a halo around her. Nero got out a metal tube with the same image on it and handed it to Zag. “So that’s a human favorite. It’s a blended drink that starts off with coffee, and then we add sugar, cream, and other flavors to it, then shake it with ice.”

The prince twisted the top off of it and took in a deep breath. His body tingled at the smell, reminding him of nectar and yet _different_. Before he could take a sip, Than casually and easily took the thermos from him to close and set out of Zag’s reach.

“He does _not_ need coffee,” Than muttered to Nero. “He’s energetic enough as is.”

As his two lovers shared a grin, Zag looked between them with furrowed brows. “What does _that_ mean?” His gaze settled on Nero. “Does coffee make someone energetic?”

Nero nodded. “Yeah, humans drink coffee when they first wake up in the morning or when they’re feeling drowsy to keep from fallin’ asleep.”

“Perhaps we should offer some to Hypnos,” Zag remarked with a chuff. “And Than, how did you know that already?”

“When one spends as much time as I do on the Surface,” he hummed with a shrug. “It is not a particular favorite thing of mine, though I must admit… it _does_ help…”

“I guess bein’ Death ‘n’ all, you spend a lot of time in the mortal world…” Nero’s smile fell a little at a thought, though he didn’t speak it.

Than nodded. “I do…” His eyes fell away from Nero. “And… I do apologize for Kyrie…”

“Don’t,” Nero cut him off. He was smiling a little, but even Zag could see that edge of sadness, that edge of darkness in his eyes. “You were doin’ your job. And she’s happy here, so that… that helps a little…”

He said nothing more on the subject, and Nero dug through his bag, quietly getting out more books. These were thicker and had daunting titles such as “World History” and “Cultures of the World” that made Zag’s mind fuzzy with boredom already. The excitement of otherworldly gifts was gone now, even as Nero got out a small square that looked similar to his own and a pair of headphones that weren’t as bulky as his. 

Zag sat on his bed beside the bag, letting it separate him from Than. He leaned back on his arms and felt a cold touch meet his fingers. In a desperate attempt to lighten the mood, Zag burst out suddenly, “What was the ceremony like?”

Nero closed his empty bag and tossed it aside, tilting his head at Zag. “Which one?”

“Your wedding,” Zag continued. “You were married before, to Ms Kyrie. What was the ceremony like? Will it be anything like our own?”

His lovers exchanged a look that Zag couldn’t interpret, and Than gave a small nod. Nero grabbed the chair from Zag’s desk to bring closer, and he sat in it with a shy grin.

“Not sure what a wedding for ancient gods looks like,” Nero admitted as he leaned forward, letting his elbows rest on his knees. “When Kyrie and I tied the knot, it was a small service. Didn’t have a lot of money or a lot of friends or family, so we couldn’t afford and didn’t want anything _big_ big.” He smiled at the memory, toying with the wedding band he still wore. “She got a cute dress from the local Goodwill, and I wore my formals from the Order.” His grin lifted to Zag. “Same formals I plan on wearing for our wedding.”

Zag blushed, remembering the uniform he saw in Nero’s closet. But something didn’t make sense. “Tied the knot?” 

Beside him, Than nodded. “One of the human customs is to tie ribbons and cords around their held hands.”

Nero nodded in agreement. “Called a handfasting. Yeah, that’s what we went with, since neither of us were really into religion after what happened… Is that what gods do? Threads of Fate and all that?”

“I don’t know for certain,” Than answered before the prince. “This topic is not my particular… area of expertise. All I know is that it is a ceremony that can last for days, depending on circumstances.”

“Days…” Zag shook his head. “I hope not…” He laughed a little. “I could always ask Lady Aphrodite. Of all the gods I’ve encountered, she would know for certain what to expect.”

“We could ask Persephone,” Nero suggested. “She’s the one we know for sure that’s been married before.” 

The three looked between one another, and it was Zag who got up first. Grinning, he grasped Nero by the wrist and pulled his fiance to his feet. Than followed after, either out of curiosity or amusement as he fought his small smile from growing too evident. 

Finding Persephone was easy. She and Vergil were in the lounge, and in the short time between her arrival and that moment, she had changed into her regal black and red gowns. Zag paused at the sight of her, taking in her new apparel. A skull crown sat at the top of her head, and the humble farmer was gone now, replaced by a woman capable of wrath, destruction, and eternal justice. Her laurels matched Zag’s, and her demeanour softened at the sight of her son and his lovers.

“Zagreus!” Persephone sat up in her seat at the bar, and Vergil turned in his to face them as they came closer. “You have determination in your eyes… What are you up to now?”

“Nothing, I swear. We wanted to ask you about the wedding. None of us are sure what exactly is going to happen, and I thought… since I’m going to be involved in the proceedings, I should at least know what’s expected of me.”

A slow, thoughtful smile grew on her face as she ran a finger over her lips, her eyes narrowed on her son. _Uh oh,_ he thought with a nervous chuff. _She’s up to something of her own now. I can see it._

“And knowing your father, he’s been little help in explaining what the ceremonies require,” Persephone mumbled, more to herself than anyone else present. “For someone who likes things done his way, he does a poor job of defining what that way is…” Her voice lifted as she nodded. “Yes, the ancient traditions can be quite daunting. There’s the pre-wedding ceremony, the wedding itself, the post-wedding ceremony… With how time passes so differently here, it will be difficult to determine whether or not each ceremony has been performed for its appropriate length… And with how your father doesn’t like being away for his desk for very long, I doubt he’d be able to withstand the three days of ritual himself, let alone enjoy the celebration for what it is…”

“Three _days_?” Nero asked incredulously. “Forget Hades, I don’t think _Dante_ could sit still long enough for one day, let alone three…”

Vergil snickered into his goblet but offered no evidence to the contrary.

“Besides,” the young devil hunter continued. “Only way I know about is the human way I’ve seen on the Surface. Even then, it’s different from couple to couple.”

“Could I offer a compromise?” Zag asked, looking between fiancé and mother. “If Father has no objections and would prefer a shorter ceremony so that he could return to his work sooner, could we do a mortal ceremony? One that is customary to the Surface?”

Again the queen was silent for a moment, weighing her options and tasting her words before either could be spoken. After a moment, she nodded once more. “Yes, I believe that could be arranged.” She touched Vergil’s arm. “Would you be so kind as to tell Lord Hades of the new arrangements? If he has any objections, send him to me.” 

“Yes, my queen,” Vergil murmured, standing from his seat. He gave her a small bow and dismissed himself without a further word.

“Nero.” He stood up straight beside Zag as Persephone purred his name. “Go speak with the house contractor. Walk him through this ceremony you have in mind. He’ll make the appropriate changes to the preparations. Afterwards, come speak with me so that we can discuss details further.”

Nero nodded and gave Zag’s hand a gentle squeeze before letting go. He followed his father, glancing back at the doorway before vanishing around the corner.

“Thanatos…” Persephone smiled at him gently. “May I have a few moments to speak privately with my son?”

“Yes, my queen,” Than answered. He gave Zag one last smile before poofing away, leaving the prince alone with his mother.

“All right,” she said decidedly with a huff. Persephone patted the seat once occupied by Vergil. “We’ve matters with Olympus to resolve. They don’t know I’m here, most of them, besides Zeus and maybe Athena. They think you’re Nyx’s son, rather than mine, and that your goal is still to join them on their mountaintop.”

“What a mess…” Zag groaned as he slumped in the seat, leaning onto the bar for support. “What _can_ we do? The Gods of Olympus have all been very good to me, for the most part. I don’t…” He sighed and shook his head. “I don’t feel great about deceiving them. They keep trying to help me escape!”

“What can we do?” She chuffed, smiling as if already knowing the answer. “We make peace with them.” The way she said it made the idea sound as if it were obvious and that she was tired of being the only one who could see it. “And let them know the truth. So much of it as they would tolerate. Diplomacy is not your father’s strong suit.” Zag snorted at that, but let her continue speaking. Her tone turned serious. “But I am going to need you two to do exactly as I say. Do you understand?”

Zag shivered, but nodded. _Anything, to end this nonsense…_ “Yes, Mother. So what do you intend to do? And how do I fit in?”

“This wedding of yours couldn’t come at a better time. Why Zagreus, we’re going to invite all of them to your wedding. Here. And you shall personally deliver them their invitations.”

He stared at her, waiting for her to giggle, to laugh and assure him she was jesting. But she didn’t. “Mother, you’re serious… So, they’ll come to my wedding, and they’ll just see you after all this time, and be fine with everything?”

“They certainly shall not be fine with everything,” she grumbled, smoothing the wrinkles from her gown. “But, Hades and I… We’ll be prepared to tell them what they _need_ to hear. Don’t worry, I shall do the talking.”

Her words were _not_ reassuring. “What are you going to say?”

She beamed with mischievous light. “Oh, you know! That we met, fell in love, eloped. Had a child. A child who, once grown, sought desperately to reconnect with his extended family.” Persephone chuckled to herself. “Much to the chagrin of his grim lord father…”

“That’s…” Zag sighed. “That’s all true. As individual statements, at least.”

Persephone continued to spin her tale, as if she didn’t hear the concern in her son’s voice. “Fortunately, our loving and dutiful son persuaded his mother and father to reveal their secretive relationship, and make an effort to rejoin the great family.”

“Your mother won’t be happy that you left,” he remarked pointedly.

“I’ll deal with her.” Persephone toyed with her empty goblet thoughtfully. “Perhaps I’ll have to visit her and the rest of them from time to time, if that’s what it shall take. But I’ll be back.” A smile grew on her lips as she followed the idea. “I’ve no choice! Did you know that if you eat the seeds of an Underworld pomegranate, then you cannot leave for one month out of the year, per seed?”

“What?” _Is that why I’ve been struggling? Because I’ve consumed the foods of the Underworld all my life?_ “No, I never knew that…”

“Neither do they.”

It took him a moment to realize. _Another lie._ He chuffed, shaking his head. _Too many lies… what’s one more? At least this one will be spoken in good faith. And honestly, I don’t blame Mother for it one bit…_

Zagreus nodded. “All right then.”

“Good.” She reached to his arm, giving him a gentle squeeze. “Now go. And trust in me. We’ve a lot to learn of trust, I think…”


	49. Chapter 49

The hard work of the servants and staff of the House of Hades was beginning to show. Incense filled the air with a gentle fog of soft scents, burying the iron stench of blood from the Styx and hiding whatever delights the Head Chef was close to completing. Candles pushed back the darkness further, and everything had a fresh washing and coat of polish that made the grey and onyx stone walls and floors sparkle in the dancing flames. Even the drapes and carpets seemed freshly cleaned and dyed, their colors more vibrant to Nero’s eyes than before.

Decorating had also commenced. Small bouquets of bright blue hydrangeas adorned with red laurels adorned walls, connected by loose ribbons of red, blue, and gold. A hallway leading to a magnificent ballroom and banquet hall, both furnished and adorned with the same decorations and more, had magically appeared, and Nero couldn’t decide if it had always been there and was just hidden away with undead magic, or if the House Contractor was working double-time. 

He stood at the head table in the banquet hall, trying to shake the nervousness that welled up in him by studying the silverware placement.  _ Thank fuck old Sanctus liked his pomp and circumstance, otherwise I wouldn’t know which spoon to use… _

“Nero?”

The young demon hunter looked up from the tableware and faced Kyrie. She wasn’t wearing anything special, still in her drab servant’s garb, but Nero knew from unsubtle gossip that she would have a place of honor among the guests. Specifically at Meg’s side. He gave her a small grin and held out a hand to her. His nervous flutterings only got worse as she took his hand, stepping close enough to him that he could smell her perfume. Nero ached to hold her, but neither of them initiated the gesture. 

“You look upset,” she whispered, tilting her head at him. “Is something the matter?”

“Nah…” He gave her the best grin he could muster under the circumstances. “Just nervous… A lot has happened so fast, my head’s still spinnin’. Like…” Nero looked around and leaned close to whisper, “Has this dinin’ room  _ always _ been here?”

Kyrie giggled and nodded. “Yes. Ms Dusa gave me a tour. There’s a great portion of the House most guests such as yourself don’t get to see. I assure you, the dining room and the ballroom have always been here. There’s also quite the lovely library, though don’t let Mr Vergil find out, else we’ll never see him again.”

“He’s already jumped into a portal to Hell from one library. How much deeper could he go?”

She laughed, holding a hand to her face to try to hide and muffle her smile.

“At least I’m glad I’m not goin’ crazy,” Nero admitted with a half-grin. “I was starting to worry that the House Contractor was gettin’ overworked and underpaid. He even put up a door to Zag’s room. Guess with all the guests comin’, he doesn’t want anyone wandering in on Zag doin’ somethin’ naughty.”

A pink blush painted her cheeks as she tucked a stray lock of hair behind an ear. “Lord Hades requested and approved of  _ that one. _ I suspect that he feels Prince Zagreus will become erm…  _ louder _ now…”

“Yeah, about that…” He took a deep breath and sighed it out. “Listen, Kyrie, I…”

She stopped him with a small gesture and a shake of her head. “It’s okay. I already know.”

He blinked at her. “You do?”

“Mmhm! Mr Thanatos and I talked about it. He wanted some assurance that there were no erm… hard feelings between us. But that’s besides the point…” Her smile filled the room with further light. “I understand why you’re doing it. Truthfully, I had a feeling that this would happen.” 

Nero stared at her in disbelief. “And… you’re  _ okay _ with it?”

Now it was her turn to look surprised and confused. “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Because you um… and I er…”

Kyrie huffed and shook her head. She stood on tip-toes and pulled him down to kiss his forehead. “My sweet, silly Nero… I’ll still love you. Always and forever.” Her eyes fell to their joined hands. “I will always love you, even if it’s a different love than before. We were young and scared, and we chose one another because we knew no one else to lean on. It had always been me, you, and Credo… and then it was just me and you… I will always love you for that, for being by my side. You will always be a brother to me, and you will always be my business partner.”

“Business partner?” Nero grinned a little at her. “Climbin’ the ranks of the household already, are you? Don’t tell me you have your sights set on Nyx’s job.”

“No, of course not! Although… I must admit, Lord Hades has been allowing me entry into the administrative chamber. I noticed he had made an error on one of the forms, and after I discreetly brought it to his attention, he has been tutoring me in the operation of his business when I’m not busy with other duties.” She giggled. “Running an orphanage has given me a slight advantage when it comes to the creation and upkeep of forms and files.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, sorry about that… I’ve been too distracted to sit down with him and learn anything.”

“Don’t feel guilty at all! When the time comes, perhaps I could teach you instead of him.”

“Yeah…” Nero let his gaze wander over the banquet hall. “So you’ll be sittin’ with Meg, huh?” He grinned at her. “How are things with her? She gonna be too jealous if I ask you to dance with me just once?”

“I fear she’ll become jealous if you simply looked at me funny,” Kyrie confessed, her pink blush returning. “But! She’ll have to learn to live with that. She’ll have me for eternity, she can stand for me to be away for one slow song.” 

“So your little crush has grown into something more, has it?”

Kyrie nodded, brushing a lock back that didn’t exist, just to hide her smile for a moment. “Yes, it has… But I don’t have the heart to tell her as of yet. I worry that I would be jumping into something too soon.”

“Yeah, no I get’chyuh.” 

“It’s…” Kyrie sighed once more, her gaze following Nero’s across the banquet hall. “It’s so strange, being here… I had thought that living in the Underworld would be an unusual experience, that I would feel out of place, but… I don’t, oddly enough. Everything here has a sort of… familiarity to it.” She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. “It’s like being back with the Order, but without the creepy old men staring at me and without all of the lies… Here, everything is what it should be… I mean…”

“Death makes all things honest,” Nero murmured.

“Yes! That’s it exactly! There’s no subterfuge, no lies, no masks… Everything is exactly what it says it is. Living in a world of blood and darkness, having seen a world of monsters and demons… Nero…” Her voice was small and afraid, as it was when they were children and a storm was approaching from the sea. “Am I wrong to be happy here?”

Nero smiled and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. “No… You’re not wrong.”

“Am I crazy?”

He couldn’t help but laugh. “If you’re wrong and crazy… then so am I.”

“But you’re not!”

The young devil hunter pulled her close enough to kiss the side of her head. “Then neither are you.”


	50. Chapter 50

Nero leaned against the wall, watching over the Pool of Styx. His knee bounced, the only clue to his nervousness and anxiety when the rest of him looked otherwise calm. The devil hunter wasn’t at his usual perch; that spot had been claimed by a small pyre that gave an orange, inviting glow to the entryway for the dead. He had tried listening to music. He had tried playing games on his phone. He had tried doing math problems and solving word puzzles, but nothing helped. Nothing took away the growing  _ excitement _ building inside him. 

Finally he heard that sound he was looking for, pushing himself from the wall as Zag came stepping out of the pool. He took a moment to shake off the last drops and gave Nero a smirk as he joined the devil hunter’s side.

“Did you get all the invitations delivered?”

“I did, yes. It took a few attempts, but once Lady Athena and Cousin Hermes spread the word ahead of me, the others were quick to meet me with their boons.”

“And what’d they say?”

Zag shrugged, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. “They all seemed…  _ excited _ by the idea of coming for a visit. It’s… strange. I had thought there would be some hesitation, some reluctance to leave their brilliant mountaintop and visit our dreary depths. Well… except Chaos… They politely declined, but said that they would send a wedding gift later.”

“They’re your family, Zag… It makes sense that they’d be happy to come visit.” Nero grinned at him. “If only to see you in a beautiful wedding dress.”

Zag grinned back at him. “Who’s to say  _ I _ will be the one wearing it?”

“You didn’t say no when I’ve mentioned it before.”

A faint blush painted Zag’s cheeks as he tried and failed to bite back a shy smile. “Fair enough I suppose, but… Who’s idea was it that  _ I _ would be the one in the dress?”

“Your mom’s.”

The prince burst out into laughter, giving Nero a playful shove. “Stop being an ass! No, really… Who suggested to you that it should be me?”

“Than… and your mom.”

“Ass!” 

Nero yelped a laugh as the prince grabbed him by his waist, pinning him to the wall to squeeze and tickle his sides. The devil-hunter retaliated in kind, squeezing Zag’s arms in just the right place to make him laugh and pull back enough to open his own defenses enough for further tickle torture. They wrestled one another, eventually wrangling each other to the ground where they rolled and laughed, trying to assert their dominance over the other. The devil-hunter won by pressing a kiss to Zag’s lips, long and slow so that all his royal fiance could do was wrap his arms around Nero’s shoulders and hold him for more.

“Reached the point where you have no shame in showing affection in front of others, have we?” Persephone asked from somewhere above them. When Nero looked up at her, she was smiling mischievously as she stood over them, perhaps remembering her own playful love of the past.

He cleared his throat and got up off of Zag, offering a hand to help him to his feet. They dusted themselves off, though with how spotless the floors and carpets were, there was little need to.

Zag broke the quiet between them. “It’s done, Mother. The invitations. Personally sent to everyone with whom I’ve been in contact.”

“Good,” she sighed with a nod. 

“So what next?” Nero asked. 

Before she could answer, his eyes went to Dante and Vergil coming up behind her. It was the first time Nero had seen either of them dressed up formally, and as Persephone glanced back at them, the devil-hunter took a moment to study both.  _ I didn’t know Dante even owned a suit, _ Nero thought. 

Dante cleaned up well. His face shaved and his hair trimmed took years from his appearance. He wore a blood red shirt, buttoned all the way up to his throat with buttons that looked as if they were made from onyx or obsidian. Over that was a black velvet vest that shimmered with a hidden paisley pattern. His pants were plain black dress pants, and he opted out of his red duster or any jacket at all. The ruby key on it’s chain sparkled at his chest.

Beside him, Vergil was a formal of a completely different kind. While Dante wore the formal attire of the Western world, Vergil was dressed in layers of silk and linen Japanese  _ kimono _ . The fabric was so dark blue that it was almost black, and embroidered in silver was the family crest of Sparda, a symbol Nero recognized from his time at the Order. Vergil even wore plain white  _ tabi _ , and his sandals quietly clacked against the stone floor.  _ Yamato _ hung at his side. 

“Excellent timing,” Persephone told them, nodding in approval of their apparel. She smiled at Nero. “Now, your father and uncle will begin bringing our guests to the House. Everything is ready, except for a couple of things…” 

Nero felt his heart skip a beat.  _ What did we miss? _

“What things?” Zag asked for him.

“You, my son,” the queen replied with a smile. She smirked at Nero. “And you. Come along now. It’s time for both of you to get ready.”


	51. The Wedding

They separated in the foyer, with Nero being dragged away by Achilles to get him ready and Zag escorted to his room by his mother and Nyx. Either they or Kyrie had tidied his room, bringing in a tub for him to wash in and filling it with water that was warm and smelled of oils. Both women gave him some privacy with which to bathe, but Persephone returned before he could get out. He held still for her while she anointed his forehead with a drop of sacred oil, and drew a symbol in oil with her thumb against his chest. His mind followed the gesture, and he smiled to himself as he recognized the symbol of Aphrodite. She left his side and returned with a small pair of scissors. 

“It is a shame you didn’t grow your hair out longer,” she told him, handing them to him. “I remember when I made my offering, so long ago. Oh how nervous I was… My hands shook so much that I almost cut myself.” 

Zag fingered his hair, trying to find a lock long enough, and settled for one under an ear where it wouldn’t be noticeable if he cut badly. The black curl was so small that he had to bite back a whine as he carefully dropped it into a dish of more sacred oil; one of the many offerings to Aphrodite, Hestia, and Hera that would be made during the ceremony.

Persephone smiled and took back the scissors. “Aphrodite won’t mind. She’s not like your father. Little details won’t matter to her, so long as the ritual is done with sincerity.”

“My heart is racing…” Zag admitted as she handed him a fresh towel to dry himself with. She turned her back to him. The water splashed as he got out of the tub. “I feel like my whole body is vibrating, like a string on a lyre. I feel like I should be running… not to run away, but just to get all this… _feeling_ out of me.”

“Wedding jitters,” Persephone mused as she faced him, trusting that her son had dried himself off by then. “I assure you, there will be a moment when you’re not so nervous anymore. Where you’ll feel safe and comfortable.” She ran a hand over the fabric of Zag’s _peplos_. The soft, silken linen was pure white adorned with shimmering pearls that sparkled with oranges, pinks, and soft blues and greens in the candlelight. “There will be a moment when all the fear and nervousness washes away, and it will be as if it’s only you and your match in the world, and no one else…”

“When does that moment come?”

She smiled at him. “For me, it came when I lifted my veil and found myself lost in your father’s eyes. I cannot think of a time where he looked more happy.”

“My father?” Zag asked with a skeptical smile. “Happy? I hardly think he knows how to spell the world, let alone feel it.”

“Your father holds many secrets,” Nyx purred as she came in, an ornamental box in her hands. “His emotions being amongst the most closely guarded.”

Zag chuffed at that, knowing she was right. He watched in idle curiosity as Nyx set the box on his desk and opened it. Persephone peered over her shoulder, and the two whispered a discussion of “This one? No, this one. _These_. Nono, they don’t suit the groom. These. But they don’t flatter Zagreus. These would match the pearls of his gown. Arachne did a spectacular job, given the challenge. That she did, my queen. Yes, these would be best. Oh, and there’s a matching set!” 

Persephone rubbed her hands together excitedly as if she were about to get to work restoring a dilapidated garden. “Alright then, Zagreus! Arms out!”

He held the towel to his groin a little tighter. “M-mother, I…”

Nyx quirked an eyebrow at him. “Do not be embarrassed, Zagreus.” Her lips curled in a knowing smile. “I wiped your ass when you were a baby. Dressing you as an adult should bring no shame to either of us.”

That did little to dissuade his feeling of embarrassment, but he did as asked. Zag tossed aside the towel and held his arms out in a T-pose. Neither of his mothers, biological and surrogate, made any remark as to his body, _Thank Hera,_ Zag thought, watching as Persephone unfolded the white satiny linen of his gown. It felt as light as a feather against his skin, the only weight being the pearl and silver pins that clasped the fabric at his shoulders, and the smaller, less decorative pins connecting the cloth along his arms. Persephone and Nyx worked without words, their focus on making sure each pin was in its place, stepping back occasionally with tilted heads to measure the space between clasps. They had to work together to tie a belt at his waist with a braided cloth of red, black, and white. When he was finally allowed to lower his arms, Zag snuck a glance at himself in the Mirror of Night. He couldn’t help but smile a little.

“I feel pretty,” he mumbled.

“You’ve always been pretty, Zagreus,” Nyx assured him, smiling as she lifted his chin with a light touch.

He rubbed his red right eye. “No, I haven’t…”

“You don’t see yourself as pretty, because you see too much of your father in you.” She guided him to a chair and helped him sit. “Perhaps today, you will finally see yourself as we have all seen you.” An eyebrow arched as she sat in front of him. A smaller box balanced on her knees, and she opened it. The box unfolded into all sorts of smaller compartments, filled with even smaller boxes, bottles of vibrant liquid, and wands with soft fibres on the end. She chose a little packet of fine tools, and took his hand into hers. “Perhaps today, you will see yourself as your husband sees you. But first, you must hold still.”

Zag was given the time to only nod once before they resumed their work on him. 

As Nyx filed, cleaned and painted his nails, Persephone removed his laurels and ran a brush through his hair. He closed his eyes, letting his mind wander. Rooms away, he could hear the murmur of the arriving guests, their voices louder and clearer as they passed by his room for the lounge, which Nyx had designated as the place for all wedding gifts to be placed for later. Zag smiled to himself, recognizing the voices as the different gods and goddesses he’d encountered on his journey. He could hear Orpheus’s distant strumming of his lyre, his voice occasionally rising above the hum of conversation with a song, though Zag couldn’t distinguish the words. 

When she was done with his nails, Nyx’s attention went to his face, rubbing a cream on his skin, then painting his face all over with her little brushes. She tilted his head this way and that with little gestures, careful not to get in Persephone’s way of styling his hair. Though as she said, there wasn’t much there to style. That didn’t stop her from setting a diadem among his dark locks, adjusting it so that the cool metal sat across his forehead and tucked behind his ears. It would hold his veil in place when the time came. Persephone pinched his earlobes gently, but made no additions there. He felt the cold kiss of metal and gemstone against his neck and chest, and Nyx sprayed his face with a mist of something to seal the make-up. She touched his neck, the inside of his elbows, and the inside of his wrists with an oiled finger, surrounding him with a soft perfume that was warm and spiced. 

“All right then,” Persephone spoke from somewhere in front of him. He hadn’t yet dared to open his eyes. “I think we’ve done as much damage as we can. Go on then, Zagreus. Open your eyes and take a look.”

He did as told, opening his eyes to look up at them. The women parted, moving aside so that he could see his reflection in the mirror while they put away their things.

Zag didn’t recognize himself at first. The princess in the Mirror of Night _couldn’t_ be him. But as the stranger moved as he did, standing slowly and tentatively approaching the mirror, he realized that he was indeed looking at himself. Nyx had needed very little make-up to paint his face, and what she did add only accented his features further. The round of his cheeks sparkled with a shimmer that matched the shimmer of the pearls at his shoulders, forehead, and neck. Even his eyeshadow was natural, hiding the weariness of his adventures with pale pink, natural beige, and that same pearlescent shimmer. His lips were painted a soft pink to match, just a shade softer than his own lip color to accentuate the shape of his mouth. Small white flowers were tucked into the jewelry at his shoulders and crown, replacing the normal ornamental laurels he wore. Persephone styled his untamed, messy hair into obedience, falling to one side to frame his face. He lifted a hand to touch the flowers at his ears and paused at the sight of his painted nails. They were white, but as he turned his hand, even his nails shimmered pearl. He carefully lifted the hem of his gown to look at his feet. His legs were surprisingly unornamented and bare.

Persephone came up behind him to press her cheek to his. “What do you think, Zagreus?”

“I hardly recognize myself,” he admitted, smiling shyly at his reflection. “I look like a princess…”

“You look like a queen,” Persephone cooed. “The queen that will someday reign here. But…” She patted his back and pulled away from him, giving him his space. “That is not for a long time still.”

“Are you sure Nero will approve?”

His mothers paused what they were doing and exchanged a look. Persephone gave him a smile. “Why wouldn’t he?”

“He knows me better as a prince, and as a warrior, bathed in blood and darkness. Won’t it be strange for him to see me like this?”

“If he loves you, then no,” Nyx answered. “If his love for you is true, he would not find it strange at all, no matter how you presented yourself.”

He sighed heavily, feeling the last of his worries unclench from his heart and flutter away. Zag nodded, and Persephone took him by the hand to his seat once more. With Nyx’s help, she unfolded the veil and draped it gently over Zag’s head, clasping it to his diadem to keep it in place. The fabric was so light and thin, he could see clearly beyond it.

Two taps sounded at the door, and Nyx was there before it could open further than a crack for conversation.

“Everyone’s here,” Dante informed her with a low voice.

“The groom is ready,” Achilles added.

“Very good. Take your places, we’ll be there shortly.” Nyx closed the door on them before either could protest. She looked back to Persephone and Zagreus, and gave them a bowing nod, then dismissed herself to take her place. 

Persephone sighed heavily and helped Zag to his feet. “Well then…” She gave him a last look-over, adjusting a pin here and a fold there. “Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be,” he agreed with a nod. 

She nodded as well and, with his arm in hers, she led him through the House of Hades. 

The ceremony proper, it was decided, was to be held in the ballroom. And while the newlyweds and guests feasted in the dining room, the servants would quickly redecorate and rearrange the ballroom for the music and dancing of the celebration afterwards. Persephone guided him to a gathering outside the ballroom, meeting her own husband at the end of the procession. She uncurled her arm from Zag’s to reach to Hades, adjusting his laurels and beard before tugging him down for a soft kiss. 

“Well then,” she told him. “There’s no going back now. You know what to do?”

“Yes, my dear,” Hades mumbled. 

“Good. Then I’ll see you later.” She stood on tip-toes to give him one more kiss. To Zag, Persephone only gave a knowing smile and shuffled away to disappear into the procession ahead of them.

Zag stood up a little straighter as he heard the music change in the next room. A tightness formed in his throat, creeping up to his nose and eyes. _I’m not going to cry,_ he told himself as he placed his hand on Hades’ arm, as they had rehearsed. The procession began ahead of them with Queen Hera, who would be presiding over the ceremony, and Zeus at her side to walk her to her place at the altar. _Don’t cry. Don’t cry. I’m_ **_not_ ** _going to cry at my own wedding. What is wrong with me? Don’tcrydon’tcrydon’tcrydon’t-_

Hades cleared his throat beside him as Nyx and Thanatos went next into the ballroom. In the brief glimpse of Death Incarnate that Zag could snatch, he saw that Than was dressed just as elegantly as Zag was, only opposite. For every inch of white fabric on Zag, Than wore black, and all of Zag’s white and silver jewelry was gold and black quartz on Than. 

“I…” Hades started. His voice lowered so that it was a whisper, a murmur just between himself and Zag. “I wanted to let you know… how proud of you I am.”

_I’m going to cry._

His father’s gaze was low, and Zag couldn’t tell if he was looking at the floor or Aphrodite’s back as she floated ahead of them to litter the aisle with flower petals and her blessings. 

“You have fought to correct my mistakes, to undo the injustice I have done,” Hades continued. “You have forced me to face my sins and be judged for them. And for that… I cannot thank you enough, Zagreus… or be more proud of you.”

Vergil and Nero were next in line, the young devil hunter in his white and gold formal Order uniform. The only bit of skin on him exposed was his face and an inch of his neck under his chin. Everything else was covered in uniform, even his hands. His hair, still long from when he had triggered before, was in a braid down his back. He glanced over his shoulder at Zag and grinned, giving him a wink before facing forward and walking away. Zag shivered, feeling a fresh current of electricity jolting through him.

“Father…” Zag almost croaked the word, his voice catching in his throat. “I… I don’t know what to say…” 

Dante and Persephone went next, arm in arm as if they had been friends for years.

“Then say nothing,” Hades replied with a small smile. “This day is not for me, but for you. A celebration of you and your accomplishments. May your legend have only just begun.”

Zag nodded, and ahead of them Aphrodite danced and floated, casting her blessing of rose petals and love of all kinds into the chamber. 

There was a moment, a pause, a breath held by all, and everything in the world was still.

And then the music changed, and everyone stood from their seats to turn and look as Hades walked his son down the aisle. 

_Don’t trip,_ Zag told himself now, his new mantra as he held his gown up just enough that he could see his feet with every step. _Don’ttripdon’ttripdon’ttripdon’t-_

He didn’t lift his gaze as they stopped at the altar. His heart was racing once more, filling him with a jittery nervousness so strong, Zag was sure the entire gathering could see him shaking and twitching. He let out a soft breath of relief as Hades passed his hand over into a cool, waiting bare palm. The aura beside him was just as cool, as if a breeze meant just for Zag kissed his nervously warm skin.

_Cool… refreshingly cool… like…_

Zag’s eyes went to the hand holding his, and then up to the face of its owner.

Even through the veil, Zag could see Than’s glowing smile. 

His heart skipped a beat, and it took everything in Zag not to wail, not to throw off his veil and leap into his boyfriend’s arms. He looked around for Nero and found his… his friend? His original betrothed? His mistress? The devil hunter sitting beside Vergil in the front row of honored guests gave Zag a knowing grin and small, subtle nod, as if to say “Go on.” 

Zag didn’t hear a word of the ceremony. The world melted away as he looked into Than’s eyes and felt his own misting with barely restrained joy. He could almost believe it was only them in the whole of the room, the household, the world. All of his fears, his worries, his nervousness washed away. If he slurred or stuttered his own words, his own lines of the vow, Zag hardly noticed or cared. All he cared about was that cool ring that slid onto his hand. All he cared about was the look in Than’s eyes as he lifted the veil from Zag’s face, allowing him a clearer view into those golden irises filled with the purest love.

All Zag cared about was the touch of Than’s cool lips and that soft, sweet, sacred kiss that bound them together.

Forever.


	52. Nero/Zag/Than

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry that this is a really long chapter, and i hope that you enjoy it <3

Zag couldn’t have been more thankful to be back in his room, away from the continuing party and the houseful of guests. The wedding, and the following reconciliation with the family, was a success. Zeus and Hades even shook hands, much to Zag’s surprise, and as if that were the signal the others were waiting for, the celebration got into full swing afterwards. But after hours of feasting, dancing, conversation, laughter, and merriment of which Zag had never experienced, he was ready to get his make-up and jewelry off and into the comfort of bed.

With Thanatos.

He glanced at his husband, Than’s back mostly turned as he began removing the heavy gold ornaments from his shoulders, arms, and waist. As if feeling Zag’s gaze on him, Than lifted his eyes and gave Zag a small smile. Warmth bloomed on Zag’s cheeks, and he felt it spread to his toes, his heart racing under Than’s golden gaze. Needing no word or command, Than approached his prince and helped untangle the diadem and veil from Zag’s hair. Once the jewelry and fabric fell away, Than cupped Zag’s face in his hands and pulled him into a burning kiss. His fingers threaded through Zag’s hair, and the prince nearly moaned from the touch, from the _hunger_ in the kiss. As he felt Than’s fingers slip against his face and neck, he felt electric tinglings in their wake. 

They were breathless by the time their lips separated, though they were still close enough that when Zag spoke, he could feel Than’s lips brushing against his. “I’m so nervous…” Zag confessed in a whisper. “Feels like our first time all over again…”

“Nothing has changed, Zagreus,” Than purred quietly, his hands cool against Zag’s skin as they rested on that spot between shoulders and neck. His thumbs traced over Zag’s jaw and lips, though his eyes remained on Zag’s mismatched jewels. “My love for you has only grown stronger. And now that we are bound…” He shook his head. “The only thing that changes between us will be our chambers. I have it on good authority that a new room is being built, big enough for us to share.”

“Mmm, you didn’t want to move into mine?” Zag asked, a playful grin on his face. 

“Your chambers are too small to house all my possessions,” Than confessed, looking away sheepishly. “And mine are… too gloomy for your brilliant presence…”

“So then tonight is the last night we’ll be sleeping in my room…” The prince purred, guiding Than’s hands to his shoulders and the glasps for his gown. “Then perhaps we should give the bed a final farewell…”

“In time, my love.” Than kissed his forehead and let his hands fall onto Zag’s. “There are first things that need to be done… things that need to be spoken… And first among them…” He pulled Zag to the settee and left the prince sitting there to fetch a small bowl of water and a rag. Zag chuffed to himself quietly and held still as Than sat beside him, the bowl balanced on his knees, as he began to wash Zag’s face off. “As beautiful as you are with this on, I’m sure you’re ready to have it off…”

“ _Gods_ yes…” Zag closed his eyes. “I hardly recognized myself in the mirror when Nyx and Persephone were finished with me… I must confess, I was worried Nero wouldn’t approve… Which reminds me…” He peeked open an eye at his husband. “How long have you two been planning that?”

“Planning what?”

“Switching places at the last moment.”

Than smiled a little, shrugging. “Not long, I assure you. We spoke alone for some time before you returned with Persephone, and then we spoke with your father. Lord Hades was surprisingly accepting of the new arrangement. Perhaps deep down, he knew that it was going to happen, considering when a contract was mentioned, there was no physical scroll with which to void. Whatever agreement Lord Hades and Vergil made, it was verbal only, and Nero’s father was just as accepting when he was brought in for further consultation.”

“But the invitations… they said the wedding was between Nero and I…”

“That you saw…” Than set aside the rag and gently dabbed a towel over Zag’s face to dry his skin. “They were enchanted so that when opened by the gods, the names would change from Nero’s to mine.”

“Which explains why the only person surprised was myself…”

His husband’s smile fell into a look of worry. “Do… you disapprove?”

Zag tugged him into another brief kiss, then touched their foreheads together. “We both know that I would have made a scene if I objected… I just wish…” He shook his head as he pulled away. “I wish I had been consulted on it first… I felt so guilty, about _everything_ … and everyone as of late has been making decisions for me. I wanted this one to be mine.” 

“I see…” Than’s gaze fell. “I apologize. You’re right, that I should have spoken with you first… but… I… _we_ wanted it to be a surprise…”

“And a pleasant surprise it was,” Zag tried to assure him. “Thanatos, you are the love of my life. How blind I was to have not seen it sooner, to have put my selfish needs before yours when I first tried to escape the house. And for that, I…”

Than pressed a thumb to his lips. “No… No more pain of the past… We could be sitting here for decades speaking of our past mistakes and failures. Our lives begin anew today.”

Zag smiled and nodded, leaning into his husband’s hold. His head tucked under Than’s chin perfectly, their bodies molding together easily. They had danced together during the celebration, and just as it was then, being this close wasn’t enough for Zag. There was still too much space between them, even though their bodies were pressed flush to one another. He wanted _more_.

“I have something I must confess to you,” Than whispered in his ear. 

“Mmm, and what’s that?”

“I have… one more surprise for you… A couple, in fact…” 

His heart fluttered in his chest. “Oh?” 

“Mmhm…” Than peeled himself from his husband, just enough to kiss and nip at his bottom lip before standing. He lifted one of Zag’s pillows from the bed and retrieved a box from under it. _Was that there all along?_ Zag briefly wondered as Than offered it to him. It was a plain, white paper box tied closed with a silver ribbon, rather weighty in Zag’s hand. “Go ahead. Open it.”

“Is it something you were hoping to use on me?” Zag asked teasingly as he pulled the ribbon untied and ran a thumb under the lid of the box.

“Sooner than you may realize,” Than purred in return as he lifted the lid.

Inside was a whip.

Zag blushed at the sight of it. Much like Meg’s whip in design, the weapon was nestled in a cushioned bed of black silk. The grip was long and heavy, shaped like a phallus and slightly curved, and the metal cold in Zag’s hand as he lifted it from the box. The ribbon was the same black material as Than’s robes.

He shivered as Than leaned close to whisper in his ear, his lips brushing against Zag’s skin. “What do you think?”

“It’s beautiful.” Zag ran a hand along the ribbon and rubbed it between thumb and finger. The fabric was soft and cool, and he imagined it would feel good against his skin, no matter where it was wrapped. His eyes lifted to meet Than’s. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” he purred, closing the distance to kiss his bride for a moment. 

“And the second surprise?”

Zag jumped at the sound of a soft knock at the door. Denying Zag an immediate answer, Than only grinned and crossed the room to open the door.

“Am I too early?” Nero asked, leaning on the doorframe. 

“Not at all. Your timing is excellent.” Than stood aside to allow him to enter.

The prince set aside his gift and stood to meet Nero, who opened his arms to Zag. He entered those arms with no hesitation, embracing the devil hunter. Though Zag felt guilt and sadness in his heart for abandoning their engagement, when he pulled away and looked into Nero’s sea-blue eyes, he saw neither emotion in the other man’s gaze. If anything, Nero looked just as happy and in love as he had before.

“Why?” Zag asked softly, the question a secret shared between them.

“Than and I talked it over, and…” Nero sighed, grasping Zag’s hand and pressing a kiss to his palm. “I’m sorry, Zag… I couldn’t do it. Knowin’ how much you loved Than… I couldn’t take that away from you, or him. And besides, I’m…” His eyes fell away, finally revealing the sadness he’d been hiding. “I’m not ready for somethin’ serious like this… Not yet. I’m still… sore after losin’ Kyrie, and Credo before her.” He grinned a little as his eyes lifted to meet Zag’s once more. “I’ll still fight beside you.” A hand Zag didn’t realize was resting on his ass gave it a teasing squeeze. “And I’ll be the royal ho for you and Than to fuck around with, but… my heart isn’t ready for anything more than that. I love you, Zag, but… not in a way that can hold us together forever.”

Zag sighed softly and nodded, tucking his head under Nero’s chin. “Thank you… You had the strength to do what I wanted, but was too afraid to do… I feel like I owe you for that…” He smiled shyly. “And for making you go through all this trouble.”

“Be careful what you wish for, my prince,” Nero purred with a grin. “There’s another reason I’m here.”

He shivered in Nero’s hold. “And what reason is that?” Zag asked as if he hadn’t already pieced it together.

A body pressed itself to Zag’s back, and he moaned, melting as he felt arms slide around his body and cool lips kiss up his exposed neck. “Nero and I have… a little wager to settle still… I have not forgotten about Elysium, and I hoped you wouldn’t mind if he joined us for the evening…”

Try as he might, Zag couldn’t hold back the pure _lust_ and desperation in his voice as he answered, “I don’t mind at all…” He grinned, trying to come off as charming, but whether or not he succeeded, the prince couldn’t tell. “As a matter of fact… I’ve been dreaming of this… _Hungering_ for this… For both of you…” 

Nero grinned at him. “Hopefully the two of us can satisfy you, needy little prince…”

His lips captured Zag’s in a powerful kiss that made his eyes roll back in delight. Nero dominated his mouth and tongue, and behind him, Zag could feel Than’s hands against his body through the cloth of his gown. Those expert hands untied the belt at his waist and let it drop to the floor. Strong hands pulled an arm away from around Nero, and as Than worked the pins and clasps along Zag’s sleeve, he’d pause to kiss and nibble on the skin where the cool metal had been. When Nero finally released his mouth, Zag was gasping, his lips hanging open while the devil hunter kissed and bit at his neck. He tried to count the pins, but his mind was already lost in a fog of desire and physical pleasure. Than let go of one arm and grasped the other, doing the same as Nero continued to pamper the prince with kisses, teasing licks, and even more tempting bites, until the only two clasps holding his clothes in place were at his shoulders. 

“Would you like to do the honors?” Than asked over Zag’s shoulder. 

“Fine by me.” 

Nero’s steady hand turned Zag to face his husband, the prince’s skin pink in the places where Nero’s lips had been. Than purred in delight at the sight, his cool hand cupping Zag’s cheek. He stood at arm’s length away, out of Zag’s reach as his eyes raked over Zag’s body. One clasp fell away at his shoulder, and then the other. He shivered as he felt the cloth whispering against his skin as it slid away, revealing his naked body to his husband. Than purred, his gaze feasting on the body before him, as if seeing it for the first time. 

The devil hunter’s arms circled Zag’s body once more, his hands sliding over Zag’s skin. His grip was strong enough to grope and fondle at Zag while holding him in place as Than stepped back, completely out of Zag’s reach. A hand cupped Zag’s chin, keeping his eyes on Than even though the prince had no intention of looking away, watching as Than undressed himself. The black cloth of his robes puddled at his feet, and Zag was given plenty of time to admire the man he was bound to for eternity. Than was well-built, as if he were a god of combat the way Ares was, though he lacked the scars of battle that kissed Zag’s body. Zag whined in his throat, missing Than’s presence against his body already.

As if hearing that whine and understanding it, Than stepped forward to sandwich Zag between himself and Nero. A soft moan escaped the prince’s lips as Than’s cool body met his own burning flesh, warmed by desire. The body behind him let go and stepped away, and Zag opened an eye just enough to watch Nero begin to undress himself. Than broke the kiss between them and guided Zag to the bed, setting him on the edge before taking his place beside and against Zag’s body. As Nero had done to him, Than turned Zag’s body to touch and tease while a hand kept Zag’s head facing Nero, forcing him to watch as that formal uniform was removed from Nero’s body piece by piece. His mismatched eyes followed Nero’s hands as the devil hunter stripped down to nothing, his bare skin just as Zag remembered from their brief passion in Elysium. 

Than finally pulled his gaze away from Nero, pressing his lips to Zag’s in a hungry kiss. Despite Than’s attempts to distract him, Zag could still follow Nero in his mind, the devil hunter circling the bed to grab the necessary things needed to continue. A fresh bottle of nectar rolled on the bed to touch Zag’s thigh, and he peeked open an eye to see a paper box land beside it, having been tossed from a bag hidden in Zag’s things. Even the brand new whip was retrieved and set aside for use later. 

Zag broke the kiss to speak between gasps, “You two are acting like you rehearsed this…”

“We may have discussed it previously,” Than confirmed with a teasing smirk. 

He laid down on the bed and pulled Zag to join him as Nero grabbed the bottle of nectar and popped it open. Nero rolled his shoulders, and before Zag could ask what was happening, his sea-blue eyes turned into fire and his spectral blue wings unfurled. The claw-like hands at the apex of each wing cracked their knuckles, mimicking the same gesture that Nero was making. The devil hunter coated his fingers in nectar, and at the same time, Than pulled the prince into another heated kiss. 

Zag moaned in his throat and chest as he felt fingers sliding between his legs and cheeks, stroking him and spreading the nectar all over. He felt and heard Than moan in harmony, his golden eyes clouding with lust as their heated breaths mixed between them. Zag looked down and saw that Nero had both of them in hand. A spectral blue hand descended upon each of them, grasping both Zag and Than’s breast to squeeze and knead. Than’s hand shook a little as he took Zag’s hand in his own, guiding it to his groin. Zag’s knuckles bumped against Nero’s as the prince took his husband’s nectar-coated cock in hand and began to stroke its length. He let out a mewling moan as Than did the same for him. Fingers penetrated him with ease, and Zag felt as if he was suddenly drowning in a thousand sensations at once. 

The newlyweds stole a quick kiss before Nero shifted his spectral grip on them. Zag’s hands were pulled away from Than and pinned above his head. Helpless, all he could do was watch and gasp between moans as Nero did the same to Than, capturing him and pinning his wrists back so neither of them could touch one another. They could only watch one another as Nero finger-fucked them. Each brush of fingers against that spot inside Zag made his voice rise in pitch, and he could hear Than’s voice rising as well. It was like music to his ears, and Zag grinned a little. _I’ve never heard him moan like this before…_ _He’s usually quiet when we make love…_

As suddenly as the finger-fucking began, Nero slowed his pace and slid his fingers free from them both. Zag whined, his body arching into the spectral hand as it dragged down his chest and body, chasing it in search of the orgasm he was denied. Even with his hands free, all Zag wanted to do was cum and breathe, and without being granted the former, he was left with catching his breath and quivering in need. Nero’s eyes blinked blue again as his spectral hands faded away, and Than grinned beside the prince as he took the moment’s break to catch his breath as well. Nero helped Zag sit up and accept a goblet of water. Than was able to sit up on his own, though his hand shook as he accepted a goblet as well. Nero took his water from a clear bottle that crinkled as he chugged.

“Bastard…” Zag finally hissed with a grin to Nero when he had the strength and thought to speak. “You couldn’t have let me finish?”

Nero’s grin grew as he shook his head. “Nope. Don’t want you goin’ limp and tappin’ out too soon. This is just foreplay. Once you’re ready, we’ll move on to the main event.”

He shivered under Nero’s gaze at those last two words. Zag tried to scoff. “What, are you two going to take turns pounding me into the bed?”

“We considered it,” Than purred. 

Zag bit back a moan at the mental image. His eyes trailed over Nero. “I want to do something for you, Nero… I want to make you feel good too…” 

“As my prince commands,” Nero said with a grin, setting aside his water bottle. 

The prince in question set aside his goblet as well and sat up on his knees, meeting Nero as the devil hunter climbed onto the bed. Zag cupped his face in his hands and pulled him into a slow, burning kiss. Nero’s body felt as hot as his own as Zag pressed himself against his lover. As much as he said he wanted to pleasure Nero, Zag was at a loss what to do. But then Than’s hands touched his body, and manipulated Zag like clay. A cool hand slid up his back to grasp the back of Zag’s neck as another hand grasped his wrist. Zag felt his body pulled taut like the string of a bow, and he watched a grin grow on Nero’s face as Than moved Zag’s head and face downwards, along Nero’s neck. 

And then his chest. 

And then further down until Zag was face to face with Nero’s cock. 

Nero stroked himself, holding it up for Zag to nuzzle and kiss, to taste as he dragged his tongue along the length. Slowly Zag worked it into his mouth, giving the crown a loving lick and suckle before swallowing Nero inch by inch. When Zag had enough of him in mouth, he moved his hand to run his fingers through Zag’s hair. 

“Want to get him tied up while he’s busy?” Nero asked above him.

Than purred in acknowledgement, his weight on the bed moving just enough to grab the brand new whip. Zag didn’t struggle or resist him as Than grabbed his arms, pulling them back behind him and weaving the whip around his arms. As Than worked, Nero rolled his hips, thrusting slowly in and out of Zag’s mouth. The smell of Nero so close to his nose filled his lungs with renewed lust. His arms tightly bound, Zag couldn’t touch his lover or feel for Than behind him. 

“Would you protest if I gave him a few good thrusts?” 

“Nah, go ahead. Just put a condom on, so if you cum in him, it doesn’t get too messy.”

Zag cracked an eye open enough to see Than reach for the paper box, taking from it a string of little packages connected to one another. Than tore one from the end and set the rest aside. Zag couldn’t see what his husband was doing behind him, but soon he didn’t care. He felt a nectar-lubed cock against his opened asshole and moaned against Nero’s as Than slowly thrust into him. The two of them soon worked out a rhythm with Zag between them, rocking him back and forth with well-timed thrusts. In the fog of his mind, he imagined that they were kissing above him, and after a few moments of muffled moans and gasps, Zag’s suspicion was confirmed as Nero heatedly whispered, “You ready?” 

“Not yet,” Than gasped in return. “I want him to cum first. He’ll be in pain if he doesn’t.”

“Fair enough. Need me to do anything?”

“No… Well… Give his hair a good tug now and again. I’ll do the rest.”

Nero nodded quietly and did as told, giving a fistful of Zag’s hair a tug. The prince shuddered, and he felt cool hands grasp his hips to hold him steady. Than broke the rhythm, thrusting out of sync to hump Zag harder, faster. That orgasm finally came, and Zag felt tears in his eyes at how powerful of an orgasm it was. Than stopped thrusting at the same time, as if feeling Zag clench and shudder around him. Nero stopped his thrusting as well, pulling his cock from Zag’s mouth to let the prince gasp and moan. Drool dripped down his chin, and he felt tears of delight trickle down his cheeks as he rode the orgasm for as long as he could. Than pulled out gently and guided Zag down to lay on his side on the bed to collect himself. 

The devil hunter quietly got a clean washrag and cleaned Zag’s face off. Nero was smiling softly at him. “Enjoyin’ yourself?” 

Zag shakily nodded. “ _Gods_ yes…”

“Think you can go another round?”

“ _Please_ …”

He laughed gently. “We need to be careful, Than… Keep this up, and he’s gonna become a sex addict.”

“Bold of you to assume he already isn’t,” teased Than. He ran a gentle hand along Zag’s side, his cool touch broken in intervals by the ribbon holding Zag prisoner.

Nero left the bed to retrieve their water, and Than helped Zag sit up to drink. He leaned against his husband, accepting sips of water between gasps of breath. After several minutes of rest, Nero kissed his forehead, his cheek, then his neck. 

“Ready?” Nero asked him quietly. 

Zag nodded. He watched as Nero sat back on the bed, and before he realized what was happening, Nero triggered in a flash. The prince shivered against Than, his husband adjusting him so that his back was to Than’s chest. He felt his husband’s cool hands against Zag’s thigh and chest as Nero touched himself similarly. The demon stroked his groin, and from between the scales, a dripping cock slithered out. Zag licked his lips at the sight of it. It was the same shape as Nero’s human cock, but it was thicker and ribbed with bumps all along its length. His pulsing vein glowed with the same blue light as his chest. 

“Why couldn’t I have sucked _that_?” Zag whined. He yelped as Than punished him with a pinch to both of his nipples. 

“Don’t be greedy,” Than scolded him. Zag watched as Nero grabbed a little package and opened it, sliding a condom over his cock. He lubed himself further with nectar. “Now spread your legs, darling.” 

The prince did as told, Than’s hands sliding under his knees to hold him open. A shivering _thrill_ ran through Zag as he watched the demon stalk closer on hands and knees, as if the prince were his prey. But he wasn’t afraid. With Than at his back and knowing the man behind the monster, Zag was _excited_ for the pleasure about to come. Nero guided himself into Zag and held himself in place as he pushed the crown in. Bound in ribbon and held open by his husband, Zag submitted his body to Nero and moaned as more of that demonic cock thrust into him. He could feel each ridge, each bump against him, and his moans got only louder, only more heated with every inch that entered him. His own cock twitched, his arousal returning as Nero pressed on that spot inside him. Than didn’t let go, holding his bride prisoner for the demon on him. Nero rocked his hips, his pace picking up as he felt Zag accept him. 

Unable to form the words to ask for what he wanted, Zag tilted his head, exposing his neck and shoulder to Nero. His silent offering caused Nero to grin, and without hesitation, he leaned close to bite onto Zag’s shoulder, right in that curve where it met his neck. His body shuddered in delight, the pain and pleasure of the bite only adding to the sensations around him. Zag’s lips hung open as he moaned with every thrust, every bite, until he felt his body melting between them. A cool hand grasped Zag’s cock, stroking him in time with Nero’s thrusts. A second orgasm began to build in Zag’s belly, and somewhere in the mess of thrusts and strokes, he heard himself begging for more, for harder, _fuck me senseless_ … 

But his wish didn’t come. 

Like the finger-fucking before, Nero knew when to pull away, to slow his pace, to stop entirely to keep Zag from reaching that peak. The prince whined in frustration, trying to wiggle the cock deeper into him as Nero pulled out. 

“Not yet,” Nero purred in his ear as he pulled away. He grinned as he grasped at Zag, dragging the prince with him to the edge of the bed. Than followed, helping the demon move Zag as if he were a doll between them. 

Than laid on the edge of the bed, his legs open and his knees dangling off the edge of the bed. He had to reach back and grab a few pillows to prop himself up just right. His golden eyes on Nero, he nodded silently. 

Suddenly Zag was rolled onto his stomach, onto Than’s chest so they were face to face. 

“Than?”

His husband kissed his lips softly. “I want you to feel what I do, Zag,” Than whispered to him. “I want you to feel the pleasure I feel when we make love. And I want to feel what you feel. I want us to share the pleasure we’ve had for one another.”

Nero adjusted Zag’s hips, the prince gasping as the demon sheathed Zag’s erection in a condom, then lubed it with nectar. Even through the condom, Zag could feel the warmth of the nectar, sending it’s magic through him to fuel his lust further. With both Nero and Than’s guidance, Zag felt his cock press against a tight spot that slowly opened up for him. He watched Than’s face as slowly, inch by inch, Zag thrust into him. Than gasped and moaned, shivering as the tip of Zag’s cock, deep in Than’s core, touched something that made his husband shudder. Their bodies were adjusted, scooted just a little further up, and behind him, Zag felt Nero’s cock touch him once more. 

The demonic cock thrust into him again, pushing Zag deeper into Than. Death Incarnate’s moan was high, higher than Zag could have ever imagined. Slowly Nero built a pace for them, and like when Zag was between them before, a rhythm was built. Each time Nero thrust into him, Zag thrust into Than in turn, and each time Nero pulled away, Zag withdrew just as much from Than’s body. 

His head spun from the sensations, of filling and being filled at the same time, of being held between a body as burning as his and one as cool as water. Than sat up enough to meet his lips, the two sloppily kissing when they could. But soon the thrusts became too much, too pounding for Zag to be able to kiss. And soon his lips were overcome with that prayer of _more, harder, harder!_

Zag wasn’t sure who came first, if it was himself or Than. But he felt the orgasm, he felt his body shudder and clench, and at the same time felt Than do the same around him. Nero gave him a few more rough thrusts before stopping, pressed hard against Zag’s core. He felt himself pulse inside Than and felt Nero pulsing inside him as Than spilled onto his stomach. Nero dropped his hold on Zag, letting the prince lay gasping on his husband while they rode out their orgasms together. 

Nero let his trigger dissipate, returning to the familiar man Zag knew. He kissed Zag’s shoulder and back, sitting up to pull out from him. He removed his condom and tied it off to throw away. His hands were gentle on Zag’s arms as he untied the whip, though when he was done, Zag only let his arms flop to the side. They, like the rest of him, were as weak as jelly. 

Than chuckled against him, rolling so that they were on their sides facing one another. “I think we’ve finally broken our prince,” he murmured.

“Give him an hour, I’m sure his strength will come back,” Nero commented as he brought them a bowl of water and washrags. “Here…” 

Both Than and Nero took time to clean off Zag, to kiss him and touch him softly, to murmur their love for him in secretive whispers. Afterwards, clean for the most part, the three laid in bed together with Zag in an exhausted, satisfied sleep nestled between his husband and lover.


	53. The End

And so the prince of Hell, reunited with his family and married to his eternal soul-mate Thanatos, lived happily ever af- 

“Wait, wait, hold on,” Zagreus grumbled, glaring up at the ceiling of the House of Hades and the invisible narrator. “That’s it? That’s how you’re ending this? With a cliche ‘happily ever after’? Don’t you think this story, _my_ story, deserves something better? And what about Dante and Vergil? What about Nero? Don’t they get something as well?”

The narrator cleared their throat in embarrassment. 

And so the prince of Hell was married to his eternal soul-mate, Thanatos. Though his work in repairing his broken family was done, Zagreus continued his adventures to the surface, if only to learn of the mortal world that called to him. Dante and Vergil made routine visits, the former to spend more time with their deceased mother and the latter to act as Persephone’s right hand in the courts of Hell. And Nero, loyal to his royal lover, would join Zagreus often in his journey to the surface. With no further adventures or epics to speak of, _as yet_ , this brief episode of the immortal life of Zagreus and his encounters with the other princes of Hell comes to a close… until the narrator can bear witness to another grand story worthy of written word. Satisfied?

Zag grinned and nodded. “Much better. Thank you.”

The End

“ _Ahem_.”

For now…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well everyone, it's over. One hundred thousand words, this is the longest fic I've written so far. And I enjoyed every minute of it. Thank you, my readers, for joining me on this journey, and I hope that you will be there for when inspiration strikes next.
> 
> As of right now, I have no plans on another fic or further updating any of my works of progress. If anything, I'm taking a bit of a break to recover. Maybe by then, my muse and I will have tea together and talk about What's Next. 
> 
> Again, thank you everyone for your support by reading, commenting, and liking. Without readers, there would be no stories to tell or authors to tell them.


End file.
